Fond du Lac board approves $5,000 signing bonus for special-education hires

The Fond du Lac Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to offer a $5,000 signing bonus to special-education teachers and special-education professional staff hired for the 2025–26 school year.

The motion, made by Board Member Henschel and seconded by Board Member Godfrey, preserves the $5,000 total previously offered during 2024–25 but changes how the money is paid to employees hired on limited-term contracts. "We are changing that just a little bit because we do have limited term contracts...those are all hired on a limited term contract that ends at the end of the school year," said Miss Lombardo, the staff presenter. Under the revision, limited-term hires will receive $2,500 at hire and the remaining $2,500 only if they are rehired the following year on either a regular teacher contract or another limited-term contract.

Miss Lombardo told the board the program was successful last year, with 21 employees signing up; she said one additional person signed up the night of the meeting, bringing the total to 22. Board members asked for clarification about proration for hires late in the year; Lombardo replied that the current plan treats hires in midyear similarly, with the first half paid at hire and the remainder conditional on return for the next year.

The board called the roll and approved the motion 7–0.

The action is intended to help address persistent vacancies in special education, and the administration said it will re-evaluate the program after this hiring season to measure impact.