Providence Public School District offering incentives, including signing bonuses, to attract new hires

PROVIDENCE – The Providence Public School District announced Friday that it is offering multiple incentives, including early signing bonuses for newly hired educators and support staff, to help fill critical positions of need within the district.

The district is offering signing bonuses to new employees who are hired for the 2022-23 academic year. These bonuses for individuals hired for a hard-to-fill area within PPSD can be up to $10,000 over three years as a commitment incentive – $5,000 for the first year, $2,500 in year two and $2,500 in year three.

Among the hard-to-fill roles PPSD identified are math and science teachers at the middle school and high school levels, special education, dual language/bilingual teachers, social workers, speech and language pathologists, psychologists and English as a second language teachers.

The district is also offering a $2,500 early contract incentive for those who sign a contract before March 1; an additional $2,500 for experienced teachers with three or more years’ experience in a hard-to-fill area; and a $3,000 relocation incentive for staff moving from a state other than Rhode Island, Massachusetts or Connecticut.

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R.I. Department of Education spokesperson Victor Morente said Friday that the bonuses are funded through the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, which is part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

Additionally, PPSD is offering a loan forgiveness incentive of up to $25,000 for educators of color that will continue for the 2022-23 academic year. The incentive, through a partnership with the Rhode Island Foundation, allows eligible individuals to have up to $6,000 of college loan debt paid after completing one year of teaching, up to an additional $8,500 are completing year two and an additional $10,500 after completing year three.

PPSD will also increase ESL reimbursement up to $8,000 for existing and new cohort members, provide $2,500 incentives for special education teachers pursuing ESL certification and a $2,500 incentive for teachers pursuing dual language certification.

“Recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers remains a top priority for Providence Public Schools,” PPSD Acting Superintendent Javier Montañez said in a statement Friday. “These efforts focused on early hiring and supporting educators pursuing ESL certification will help us to attract and retain the well-trained teachers that our students need and depend on for their success.”

R.I. Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, who oversees the district, said in a statement the incentives will help PPSD be more competitive in seeking top talent so the district can help students excel and continue to move the district forward.

James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.