DPSCD Offers $15,000 Bonus For Select Special Education Teachers

DETROIT — Detroit schools are offering recurring $15,000 bonuses to select special education teachers with the hopes of filling the district's remaining teacher vacancies and reach fully staffed status by Fall 2021.

The district recently announced the incentive, which is set to begin during the 2021-22 school year. The bonus is designed to fill the remaining teacher vacancies in the Detroit Public Schools Community District, which have declined steadily from nearly 300 in Fall 2017 to just 38 this spring.

Of the district’s remaining teacher vacancies, 80 percent are in exceptional student educationteacher positions, officials said.

The following current district employed teachers and those who would be newly recruited and hold active endorsement will be eligible:

“We’ve filled nearly every general education teacher position in the last four years, all while increasing the number of teacher positions in our schools," Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said. "Filling the remaining Exceptional Student Education positions is the last piece of the puzzle in becoming fully staffed and ensuring all of DPSCD’s students have a qualified educator.

"We have increased salaries for all teachers in the last four years to recognize our educators, and this certification bonus goes the extra mile to attract and retain the best teachers in these historically difficult-to-staff assignments. In my mind, one teacher vacancy in our district is one too many.”

The reoccurring bonus is being issued in accordance with the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement within the Detroit Federation of Teachers contract, which allows DPSCD to issue an annual certification bonus to critical shortage areas.

Educators currently teaching in these areas who continue in their assignments next school year will automatically be eligible for the bonus, the district said. DPSCD educators who are not teaching in one of these areas but hold one of the eligible endorsements may request a transfer for the 2021-2022 school year to be eligible. Educators from outside DPSCD are welcome to apply. Open positions can be viewed here.