The Dallas Independent School District is set to introduce an employee retention incentive that would see qualified teachers and staff earn an extra $3,500 for the 2022-2023 school year.
In a news release, the district revealed that it was prioritizing the safety, well-being, and retention of its highly qualified staff.
Robert Abel, acting chief of Human Capital Management, said that the incentive will not only help retain the outstanding staff who have been working tirelessly for the district’s students this year but will also give the school district advantage in recruiting staff to fill existing vacancies in school campuses and departments.
According to CBS 11 News, Abel said the district staff, including teachers, bus drivers, and maintenance, have been giving their all to help foster a learning environment that creates an opportunity for students to be successful. He stated that the district will recognize their efforts and show them they are valued.
“I don’t think any educators have worked more, given more, gone above and beyond than our teachers and employees,” said Alliance AFT President Rena Honea.
All DISD staff who return for the next school year will qualify for the retention incentive, according to the report.
According to a report by CBS 11 News, the district will fund the incentive with federal funds set aside to support schools through the pandemic.
The employee retention incentive would be added to the staff paychecks in three installments, with the first installments coming at $500 and paid in September in a bid to welcome staff back to the new year. The rest of the incentive would be added to the December and May paychecks.