Yuma school districts offer bonuses to teachers and staff

Districts offer compensations in hopes of keeping existing team in place - News 11's Crystal Jimenez reports

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A number of Yuma County school districts are now offering cash incentives to their staff to entice them to stay in their current positions.

Gadsden Elementary School District (GESD) is among them. It's offering teachers and certified employees up to $5,000 if they return for the next school year. Non-certified employees could receive $3,000, part time employees are eligible for as much as $1,500. Even those who work less than 19 hours a week can get $1,000.

Yuma Union High School District (YUHSD) will offer the largest incentive. As of July 1, all certified and classified staff will receive a 5% raise. YUHSD says this is part of an initiative that began in 2018 that'll increase teacher pay by 33%.

Crane Elementary School District will offer its teachers a $2,500 stipend. Crane will break the incentive into two payments, the first one going out in November of this year, the second in May of 2022. The district will also raise its teachers pay by 3%. However, CESD says it offers it's teachers some kind of stipend every year.