Metro Atlanta school districts are facing a shortage of workers. To speed up hiring, most school systems are offering financial incentives to bus drivers, substitute teachers, school nurses, and other employees.
For example, Cobb County recently used federal stimulus money to temporarily raise substitute teacher pay from $89 to $189 a day. Substitute nurses will get a raise of $4/hour. Bus drivers get a $1200 signing bonus. Most metro Atlanta districts are offering similar incentives for bus drivers, with hourly pay starting around $18/hour.
The Driver Dilemma
Georgia school districts have struggled with transportation costs for years. The state used to cover a larger percentage of those expenses, but in recent years, the bulk of the costs have been passed on to districts. According to the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, in the 1990s, the state paid over 50% of school transportation costs. In 2020, it was 14%.
Read this story now for free
To continue reading, sign up for our newsletter and get unlimited access to WABE.org
You can select your preferences for news and local content. We will never share your email address. Learn how your newsletter sign-up will support WABE and Public Media
