Plainfield 202 reports fewer vacancies after sign‑on bonuses, mentor program and paraprofessional hires

Plainfield CCSD 202’s Personnel, Policy & Administration committee reviewed staffing Sept. 17 and reported a notable decline in vacancies compared with last year amid targeted recruitment and retention strategies. The district reported 2,161.9 certified FTEs (a 28.3‑position increase year over year) and 1,114.7 noncertified positions (a 25.5‑position increase). Committee presenters said certified vacancies are down to one open teaching position (a middle‑school Title I intervention posting); total unfilled noncertified positions were reported at 34 and had fallen to about 17 by the close of the meeting.

Why this matters: hiring and retention affect class sizes, special‑education supports and program delivery; lower vacancy counts reduce reliance on emergency staffing and out‑of‑district placements.

District staff credited multiple factors for improvements: negotiated contract increases and incentives (including tuition reimbursement provisions and multi‑year retention commitments for some paraprofessional tuition supports), use of signing bonuses for critical‑needs positions, a mentor and coaching program for new staff, and a district "grow your own" pipeline for moving classroom teachers into administrative roles. Committee members were told the teacher vacancy grant has helped fund signing bonuses for critical positions; average signing bonuses are around $2,000, with an additional $1,000 available after a successful evaluation period. Morris and other staff described a $5,000 incentive that was used previously to sustain dual‑language staffing in an especially hard‑to‑fill area.

Presenters emphasized the district intends to keep monitoring and to use validation and strategic staffing tools to match supports to student needs. "I was able to change the title this year to retaining and attracting employees," a personnel presenter said, describing the shift from vacancy‑fill tactics to a longer‑term retention focus. The committee asked for continued monitoring and for midyear updates on hiring, retention and the effectiveness of signing incentives.