ACPS offers bonuses for these ‘hard-to-fill’ jobs | ALXnow

Alexandria City Public Schools is offering bonuses for a number of “hard-to-fill positions,” like bus drivers and math, science and special education teachers.

The employees who already work in these jobs will all get a $1,000 retention bonus in their paychecks next month, according to ACPS.

New bus drivers hired between July 2 and Sept. 1 will also get a $5,000 recruitment bonus. ACPS will also pay existing bus drivers $500 for a referral that leads to a new hire.

New math, science and special education teachers will get a $2,000 recruitment bonus.

ACPS has long been in the midst of a staffing crisis, and the school system’s employment page lists dozens of vacant positions, including high school science, math and history teacher jobs.

The lack of bus drivers recently drew criticism from Vice Mayor Amy Jackson.

“(George Washington Middle School) bus is supposed to arrive at 7:44 and it’s still not here at 8:08 – are the kids unexcused tardy if I take them to school or excused?” Jackson wrote on Facebook.

According to ACPS:

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is pleased to announce new retention and recruitment bonuses for hard-to-fill positions, funded by the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), to be awarded by Sept. 30, 2024.

These bonuses aim to attract and retain talented professionals in key areas that are critical to our division’s success hired after July 1, 2024, for the 2024-25 school year. Bonuses are not available to staff hired after Sept. 30, 2024.