UPDATE: Atlanta Public Schools announced late Thursday night that it would pay the end-of-year state bonus to teachers after criticism from employees and Georgia School System Superintendent Richard Woods.
In a statement to WSB-TV, an APS official said: “The intent of Atlanta Public Schools and the Atlanta Board of Education was to reward our hardworking teachers and school staff with a bonus before the holiday break, while also being fiscally responsible stewards of taxpayer funds. We did that as a district on December 15th and we are committed to passing along any additional funds once funds are disbursed for the Governor’s proposal and clarification is provided on which categories of employees should be covered by the bonus.”
Original story below
APS teachers were excited to learn they would be getting a $1,000 end-of-year bonus from Gov. Brian Kemp, but that excitement turned to disappointment after a memo from the interim superintendent.
According to APS, the school system had already anticipated the $1,000 bonus – or “retention pay supplement” – from the state and included it in Dec. 15 paychecks. Many teachers, according to local media, believed the bonus was from the school system and Gov. Kemp’s bonus would be extra.
APS said it would take the money allocated by the state and use to refill its reserve fund after preemptively paying the bonuses last week.
Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods wrote a strongly-worded letter to APS Interim Superintendent Daniell Battle urging her to pay the additional $1,000 bonus.
I have heard from concerned Atlanta Public Schools educators asking why they’ve been told by district staff that they will not receive the $1,000 retention pay supplement Governor Kemp announced earlier this week.
Today, I sent this letter to Atlanta Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle. Let me be very clear: the intent of the state’s $1,000 retention pay supplement is not to backfill the Atlanta Public Schools budget. The state is providing a $1,000 retention payment to teachers and support staff, and it is my expectation they will receive it – across all school districts.
Anything less is a disservice to the teachers and staff whose efforts in the classroom – far more than anything that takes place at the state or central office level – are the reason our students succeed.
In his letter to Battle, the state’s top educator said he was “baffled by the assertion that APS somehow predicted the exact timing and amount of a bonus that had not been finalized or announced at the time of the district-level payments — particularly since this payment does not align with the timing of the retention payments made in past years.” Woods wrote in the letter.
“I find it even more inconceivable that, in this season of giving, APS would not welcome the opportunity for its teachers and educational support staff to be recognized by the state for their extraordinary efforts on behalf of students this year,” Woods’ letter continued.