11.19 APS to Provide $1,000 Stipends for Employees Next Month

ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Office of Communications and Public Engagement
130 Trinity Avenue SW | Atlanta, Georgia 30303

Seth Coleman, Director of Media Relations & Television Broadcast
404-802-2891, office
404-406-5570, cell
seth.coleman@atlanta.k12.ga.us

   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     

November 19, 2021

 

APS to Provide $1,000 Stipends for Employees Next Month

Stipend is in keeping with a historic, sweeping district initiative focused to improving employee compensation with other increases coming next month

 

ATLANTA — Atlanta Public Schools plans to pay all staff members a $1,000, one-time stipend next month. All employees, including part-time, hourly, and substitutes are eligible for the stipends.

The payments are part of a concerted, on-going effort by the district to retain its employees and let them know how much their work is appreciated.

“For what will soon be two years, all of our employees have remained focused, nimble and adaptable through the pandemic. They are dedicated to our core work, which is educating children and keeping them safe,” Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring said. “This $1,000 stipend is our way of showing all of our employees that we see them, we hear them, we respect them, and we appreciate them and the work that they do for our students, families and communities.”

The Atlanta Board of Education is expected to approve the budget adjustments for the stipends at its monthly meeting on December 6, to be included in employee paychecks on December 15. Also next month, APS plans to introduce:

  • First ever $3,000 retention stipends for special education teachers, paid half in December and half in May
  • $500 - $2,000 retention stipends for all staff in high poverty schools (with >65% direct certification), paid half in December and half in May
  • Stipend payments for teacher leader career pathway roles.

 

 

The $1,000 one-time payments are in line with other historic investments in compensation and staff appreciation the district made earlier this school year:

  • A 5.8% pay increase, which is the largest teacher pay raise in over 12 years
  • $3,000 extended day stipends for full-time salaried, exempt staff in elementary schools ($150 per check August 31, 2021, through June 15, 2022)
  • Additional 2.5 hours per week pay for hourly and/or non-exempt staff in elementary schools for extended day.
  • Step raises for all eligible employees on a pay grade
  • Converted all remaining hourly “one-to-one” special education paraprofessionals to full time with benefits
  • $15 minimum wage for hourly staff
  • Substitute teacher pay increase
  • Market rate adjustments for specific employee groups, including the police department, graduation coaches, HVAC technicians, nurses, and coaches of new sports

 

APS began this compensation and retention effort in July 2020:

  • $15 minimum wage increases for full time staff in August 2020
  • $1,000 APS Cares stipends in December 2020
  • 2% pay raise for all full time staff in May 2020
  • $1,000 retention bonuses in May 2020

 

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About Atlanta Public Schools

Atlanta Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia, serving approximately 50,000 students across 87 schools. The District is organized into nine K-12 clusters with 58 neighborhood schools, six partner schools, 18 charter schools, two citywide single-gender academies and three alternative programs. For more information, visit www.atlantapublicschools.us, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AtlantaPublicSchools/ and on Twitter and Instagram @apsupdate.