Atlanta Public Schools plans to raise teacher pay by 11% – WSB-TV Channel 2

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“As part of the budget planning process, the Office of Human Resources provides recommendations for investments in compensation strategies that support the recruitment, development and retention of a highly talented workforce,” according to the APS budget plan documents. “For the average teacher, this represents an 11% increase, while non-teachers could see an increase of between 3% and 5% for fiscal year 2025.”

Of the nearly $59 million for faculty and staff salaries, APS said it would dedicate $8.2 million to sponsor work visas, paying early-hire incentives and retention incentives for “hard-to-fill, high-needs schools.”

An additional $1.5 million will be dedicated to investments in leadership, education and career development programs, according to the budget presentation.

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In a closer look at the school’s budget plan, officials said compensation recommendations were based on maintaining market competitiveness, adjusting for inflation and living wages, and l Developing strategies to improve recruitment and retention in the school district.

“This year, the district continued to address pay parity, show appreciation to employees and help them offset out-of-pocket expenses. Approximately $59.3 million in employee compensation and total rewards, recognizing that employees are the most valuable resource, maintaining a compelling employee compensation structure is a priority for our district,” said the APS in a report.

The district will also increase base salaries between 6.5% and 8.4% for all eligible employees based on a market salary scale, impacting all employee groups and grades. , according to APS documents.

A series of unique employee allowances and payments have also been highlighted for different groups of staff and teachers, based on different areas of interest and needs.

Additionally, the FY 2025 budget includes funding for literacy coaches and support positions, including:

• $11.8 million to continue our Readers Are Leaders initiative by bringing literacy coaches and professional learning to every elementary school
• $7.8 million to secure an additional position in every school to support the whole child
• $9 million in new investments for special education

On June 3, the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education will meet for final adoption of the budget, before holding a second public hearing on the budget later in the day.

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