Detroit public schools offers SPED teachers $15K bonus to sign on

May 24, 2021, Click On Detroit: Detroit public schools offers $15K bonuses for special education teachers Bonus for certified teachers is recurring https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2021/05/24/detroit-public-schools-community-district-offers-15k-bonuses-for-special-education-teachers/

The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) is offering a recurring bonus of $15,000 for certified teachers to teach students with special needs. “As we jump one hurdle, there’s often another hurdle, and you know you just got to keep on jumping the hurdles until you cross the finish line and I think this is one of our last hurdles,” Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti said.... “The last hurdle is special education, especially in some very specialized areas like teachers that work with students with autism, those that are cognitively impaired or emotionally impaired,” he said. That’s why this new incentive is being introduced, which offers new “certified” teachers in the special needs department thousands in a recurring bonus to come aboard. The hope is the extra cash will be enough to get those who qualify off of the fence…. With financial incentives like this, the superintendent has been able to decrease over number of teacher vacancies from 400 to just about 40.... Dr. Vitti said the pandemic hasn’t had any bearing on the number of vacancies.