This week, Dallas ISD's Ross Avenue headquarters was hit with a flurry of teacher resignations, with 279 rank-and-file educators telling the district they were calling it quits. This minor exodus had nothing to do with teachers' well-known frustration with Superintendent Mike Miles. This was policy.
Yesterday was the cutoff for receiving the $750-$2000 bonus available to teachers who announce their retirement or resignation early. The idea is to give DISD the opportunity to better prepare for the 2013-2014 school year and avoid the situation it faced last August, when it faced a glut of 350 teacher vacancies.
The district had budgeted $1 million for the incentives, which will be more than enough to cover the $412,500 expected to be paid to the departing teachers, according to DISD spokesman Jon Dahlander. DISD trustees had previously reduced the maximum bonus from $3000 just out of concern that teachers would take the incentive who had otherwise not planned to leave
The highest amount is available to teachers with 16 years or more of experience. Any teachers who announce their resignations during a second phase, March 18-April 10, can receive $500-$1000.
DISD offered similar incentives back in 2011. Over 700 teachers, principals and counselors took advantage of announcing their resignations early, then receiving much as 15% of salary, up to $10,000. DISD offered those incentives ahead of massive budget cuts. $7 million was set aside for those payoffs.
