Atlanta Public Schools Employees To Get $1,000 Stipend

Next month, about 6,500 employees of the Atlanta Public School system will receive a $1,000 one-time payment.

The payment, plus the district’s share of related payroll taxes, will cost the district about $7.5 million, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Money will come from a $30.5 million spend-down of rainy day funds approved by the school board earlier this month.

District officials said the payment is a way to show appreciation for teachers and other employees who did not receive raises this year because of budget uncertainties. APS increased its minimum wage this year from $12.70 an hour to $15 an hour, but that led to raises for only about 1,000 employees.