Certified Kyrene School District teachers can receive up to $1,700 for a teaching and learning stipend, which will be paid out at the end of both fall and spring semesters.
The fall payout comes to $850 for teachers with equal to or greater than half the full-time equivalent, with those working less than half receiving a $425 payout. This also applies to teachers for the spring payout.
Teachers must have worked between Sept. 5 to Dec. 12 for the fall payout and from Feb. 20, 2024, to May 21, 2024, for spring.
Kyrene School District Governing Board unanimously approved the stipend at its Aug. 8 meeting, following a presentation from Executive Director of Accountability and Performance Management Dr. Susie Ostmeyer.
She explained that for the third year in a row, district leaders with the Teacher Performance Pay Planning Team supported and made the recommendation for the continuation of this stipend to compensate teachers for additional work done outside their contract day.
This work includes data reviews, planning for learning, and implementing support such as covering classes during a planning period.
“Eligibility for this segment focuses on teachers; however, it includes a larger group than our performance pay audience,” Ostmeyer said.
Unlike the district’s performance pay plan, this stipend is available to not just teachers who provide direct instruction or classroom teachers but extends to teachers who provide student or instructional support.
Teacher coordinators, facilitators or academic and behavior support experts and other teachers in the field are eligible to receive this stipend.
Qualifications for this stipend hold that the teacher be employed during the current school year, be compensated on a teacher’s salary schedule, have start and end dates aligned to each semester’s payout requirements, and provide instruction or student support or instruction support as their primary responsibility.
Of the payout structure, Ostmeyer said, “This allows for teacher compensation for all employees throughout the year.”
District staff proposed this model for teachers, like those who are potentially hired after winter break, to have an opportunity for additional compensation.
Funding for this stipend comes from the Classroom Site Fund, which is also used to fund teacher performance pay. The district had the option to direct all of this funding to performance pay, but teacher input recommended a split to compensate teachers regularly outside of the classroom.
Additionally, district leadership can offer financial support to non-eligible teachers through district maintenance and operations funds.
“It is a shared commitment, and it is a holistic commitment of our combined energies for the support of our learning,” Ostmeyer said.
Reporter Caroline Yu can be reached at cyu@iniusa.org
To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Caroline Caroline Yu joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2020 as a summer intern covering Scottsdale. As an intern, she continued her coverage of Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Tempe. After graduating in 2022, Caroline became a full-time reporter for Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. She is currently reporting for the Tempe market.
Community: She is a supporter of the environment and tries to get involved with related community events.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications, with a minor in French.
Random Fact: She used to be a ballet dancer for 10 years.
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