This month has been like Christmas season for employees working in the public school districts in metro Atlanta’s five largest counties. School boards have approved big raises and bonuses for teachers and other workers.
Districts across metro Atlanta in recent years have struggled with how to pay higher teacher salaries as more and more school systems face a shortage of educators. This year’s salary increases have come from a combination of sources, including general funds, federal grants and from state government.
Here’s a breakdown of the increases:
Atlanta Public Schools
On average, teachers will receive an 11% pay increase and non-teachers would get 3%-5%. The district is also offering incentives for teachers at high-needs schools and early hiring stipends, officials said. A first-year teacher in APS will make $61,816 during the 2024-25 school year.
Clayton County
Clayton plans to pay teachers $2,500 more next fiscal school year at a cost to the district of around $11.6 million. Teachers can earn another $2,500 in bonuses throughout the year while other staffers, such as bus drivers and the district’s school nutrition teams, will get a 4.1% pay increase.
The school system is expected to adopt the budget later Tuesday in a special called meeting.
Cobb County
All non-temporary staff members are getting a 4.4%- 9% raise.
DeKalb County
The 2024-2025 budget includes $60 million in raises for employees. Teachers will see an average salary increase of 6.1%, depending on the specific role and experience, and employees across the board will see at least 3.6%. The district is also offering $2,000-$2,500 retention or new hire bonuses to employees.
Fulton County
All salaried employees will receive a 4.5% raise. New teachers who agree to teach at one of the district’s 12 “priority” schools will receive a $5,000 stipend. Employees who refer teachers to those schools will get a one-time referral fee of $250.
Gwinnett County
Teachers will receive a $4,000 salary hike. Other staff will get at least a 4.25% increase. All eligible employees also will receive a step increase based on years of experience. The approved pay raises are larger than what district officials first considered in April, when the preliminary budget called for a $3,000 bump for teachers and a minimum 4% increase for other staff.
