Should School Districts Offer Signing Bonuses to Their Teachers?
Should School Districts Offer Signing Bonuses?
Image your child’s school district can’t afford to offer signing bonuses for better teachers, what does that mean for your child? It may mean that your child may have a less qualified teacher because of where they live as oppose to one of your co-workers whose district can afford signing bonuses. Or does a signing bonus allow school districts to beef up staff when teachers are at an all time shortage? I believe signing bonuses are a great way to woo teachers into maybe staying in a certain district or entice people who may not have thought about a teaching degree, but at what cost?
Recruiting for teachers is at an all time high with districts going from state to state and even across the border to find teachers. Since teachers are at an all time low and in desperate need instead of colleges going to high schools to recruit future teachers they are now going to junior high schools to reach these future teachers at a younger age. There are teaching programs and grants designed to help offset the cost of attending a four year institute. Of course with the program you must maintain a 3.25 grade point average and serve in a low income district (this list can change from year to year) or specialize in a high need area (Foreign language, science, reading specialist, mathematics and special needs) for as many years as you received funding from the teachers’ program. This program and other grants are not considered a “signing bonuses” but are designed to attract people who may or may not be interested in the education field to receive a free or lost cost education.
During my research I have found several different signing bonuses being offered that have different qualifications and different incentives that vary from state to state and district to district. One signing bonus that caught my attention and many others was the bonus Massachusetts was offering their potential teachers. $20,000 to be paid over the course
Image your child’s school district can’t afford to offer signing bonuses for better teachers, what does that mean for your child? It may mean that your child may have a less qualified teacher because of where they live as oppose to one of your co-workers whose district can afford signing bonuses. Or does a signing bonus allow school districts to beef up staff when teachers are at an all time shortage? I believe signing bonuses are a great way to woo teachers into maybe staying in a certain district or entice people who may not have thought about a teaching degree, but at what cost?
Recruiting for teachers is at an all time high with districts going from state to state and even across the border to find teachers. Since teachers are at an all time low and in desperate need instead of colleges going to high schools to recruit future teachers they are now going to junior high schools to reach these future teachers at a younger age. There are teaching programs and grants designed to help offset the cost of attending a four year institute. Of course with the program you must maintain a 3.25 grade point average and serve in a low income district (this list can change from year to year) or specialize in a high need area (Foreign language, science, reading specialist, mathematics and special needs) for as many years as you received funding from the teachers’ program. This program and other grants are not considered a “signing bonuses” but are designed to attract people who may or may not be interested in the education field to receive a free or lost cost education.
During my research I have found several different signing bonuses being offered that have different qualifications and different incentives that vary from state to state and district to district. One signing bonus that caught my attention and many others was the bonus Massachusetts was offering their potential teachers. $20,000 to be paid over the course
References: Fowler, R. C. (n.d.). Education policy analysis archives. Retrieved from http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/241 Johnson, J. A., Musial, D., & Hall, G. E. (2005). Introduction to the foundations of American education (13th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Montgomery schools md. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/bulletin/article.aspx?id=34550 Student aid. (2011). Retrieved from http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/TEACH.jsp