The Pasco County school district is offering new incentives for teachers at eight opportunity schools this year.
Teachers who worked at one of the elementary or middle schools that received a D or F grade from the state are eligible for grants of up to $15,000.
The goal is to recognize educators working in high-need areas and to help recruit more staff in those schools, school district spokeswoman Toni Zetzsche said.
“It's a group of schools that, based on past performance, we are looking to improve very quickly their proficiency and growth scores by providing them a high level of support,” she said.
The initiative was launched in July in hopes that the few vacancies left in opportunity schools would be filled before the first day of classes, Zetzsche said.
There are about 20 openings throughout the eight opportunity schools.
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Shana Rafalski, assistant superintendent of opportunity schools, said the county is leveraging some of the money that came from the state this year, as opportunity schools have access to state funding.
Principals, assistant principals and any teacher working at these schools are eligible for the grants.
“The leadership is very excited to be able to provide an incentive to ensure that the hard-working teachers receive these funds,” Rafalski said. “We know the No. 1 deciding factor for success for students is a high-quality teacher in front of them every day.”
People applying for new positions will also be eligible for some of the incentives.
Pasco County Schools provides four incentives:
- The State UniSIG Supplemental Teacher Incentive can be awarded to teachers with a “highly effective” or “effective” value-added model assessment rating for the 2024-25 school year. If they have a highly effective or effective VAM rating, that means they are successful in helping students achieve proficiency rates. Eligible teachers may get up to $15,000 for their service at opportunity schools.
- The Student Achievement Incentive is meant for teachers with a three-year aggregate district student-performance measure of “Effective” or “Highly Effective.” The SPM is based on annual evaluations teachers receive from their administrators. Teachers in their first or second year cannot qualify. Eligible teachers may receive up to $4,500, depending on their employment time at an opportunity school.
- The Recruitment and Retention Incentive can be awarded for instructional staff without VAM or SPM scores. Instructional staff may qualify for up to $2,000 to support new teachers at opportunity schools.
- The ASEP/PLACE discount is meant for any member of an opportunity school instructional staff with children attending Pasco County schools and requiring day care. They will receive a 50% discount on after-school enrichment programs or Pasco learning and activity centers of enrichment during the school year.
Zetzsche said these incentives are meant to help with student achievement.
“Our goal is to provide every student in our district with the best teacher, the best instructional staff member, in front of them at all times that we can possibly give them,” she said.
The eligible opportunity schools in Pasco are:
- Anclote Elementary.
- Chester Taylor Elementary.
- Fox Hollow Elementary.
- Gulfside Elementary.
- New River Elementary.
- Richey Elementary.
- West Zephyrhills Elementary.
- Gulf Middle.
Teachers interested in migrating to one of the opportunity schools can check employment opportunities on Pasco County Schools' website.
Current teachers and instructional staff don’t need to apply for a grant because they are automatically eligible.
Zetzsche said it's a great time to be a part of something that's laser-focused on creating opportunities for students in those classrooms.
“There's such an opportunity to give back every single day in those schools, those opportunity schools, you see growth, you see love, you have the opportunity to change lives,” she said.
