Los Banos school board rejects bonus for teachers without credentials

Educators working toward their teaching credential will not receive signing bonuses for coming to the Los Banos Unified School District.

Last month, the district found itself in need of math, science, special education and music teachers. District documents indicated 18 teachers were needed.

Facing a highly competitive job market with few credentialed teachers, the district considered offering a $5,000 signing bonus to interns and noncredentialed teachers with Provisional Internship Permits. Such teachers have to complete coursework and take the California Subject Examinations for Teachers within a year. Then teachers with permits are eligible for internships.

Plans to offer the signing bonus reportedly angered some teachers. Last week, the school board rejected the proposal in 4-3 vote.

“I have no problem with the PIPs,” said trustee Marlene Smith, who voted against the bonus along with trustees Carole Duffy, Tommy Jones and Dominic Falasco. “I have a problem with the $5,000 signing bonus. I’d like to turn that table around, give it to the teachers.”

Superintendent Steve Tietjen said Los Banos is at a disadvantage when competing for interns because of higher rents compared with areas with apartments along the Highway 99 corridor and Los Banos not being near a major university where teachers can take courses. Tietjen said Los Banos Unified does offer larger salaries than many other public school districts.

“Our salary schedule is higher,” Tietjen said. “That pays off at the top end when you’re a veteran. It doesn’t pay off, necessarily, the first two or three years.”

Some teachers have talked with officials at other school districts in the state and discovered there’s a shortage of credentialed teachers, causing permitted interns to be in great demand.

“I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t real keen on those signing bonuses,” said Randy Nocito, Los Banos Teachers Association president. “I know some people weren’t keen on hiring interns. What’s the alternative? Do we let positions go unfilled? Do we combine classes like we did last year at Pacheco (High), 40 kids in a class?”

The school board ultimately agreed to employ teachers with internship permits. The only educator who was allowed a $5,000 signing bonus was a credentialed teacher who recently moved from Texas to work at the school district.

This story was originally published August 23, 2015 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Los Banos school board rejects bonus for teachers without credentials."