Board approves priority-campus stipends for four elementary schools to recruit teachers
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Summary
Trustees approved stipends for priority elementary campuses Chandler, Dudley, Hopkins and Shields for 2025–26 to recruit teachers for third–fifth grade reading and math; funds will come from Title I/II or local funds if necessary.
Ms. Caso, a district staff member, presented an action item asking the board to approve priority-campus stipends for Chandler, Dudley, Hopkins and Shields elementary schools for the 2025–26 school year. The proposal covers stipends for three grade-level teachers (third, fourth and fifth) in reading and math at each campus — six teachers per campus — with funds drawn from Title I or Title II federal grants and, if those funds are insufficient, from fund 199.
"The $7,500 is set up front to recruit them to those campuses," Ms. Caso said when trustees asked why the larger portion of the stipend is paid up front rather than after demonstrated improvement. She explained the up-front stipend is a recruitment strategy to attract teachers to priority campuses that have had lower performance ratings and difficulty recruiting staff over the last two years.
Why this matters: the stipends aim to address teacher recruitment and retention at campuses the district has designated as priorities because of lower performance ratings and staffing challenges; funding sources and the recruitment design were described for trustees and the public.
The motion to approve the stipends was made by Rick Jones and seconded by BJ Nelson. Trustees voted by raised hands; a tally was not read aloud in the transcript. Staff stated the stipend language and funding sources would mirror a similar item previously approved for Patty Welder and the STEM Bridal School.
Trustees were invited to submit questions to staff in the days following the meeting; no amendment to the motion was recorded in the public portion of the minutes.
