Working toward a community rebuild<\/h2>\n
Four years ago, the city of Flint\u2019s population fell<\/a> to its lowest levels in 100 years. The school system\u2019s enrollment also has been on the decline. In March 2024, just 2,888 students were enrolled in its schools\u2014out of approximately 13,400 eligible children, according to National Center for Education<\/a> statistics. <\/p>\n The district, which serves mostly students from low-income households, has struggled with low test scores and had a four-year graduation rate<\/a> of 44.5% in the 2023-24 school year. Thousands of children in the city were exposed to lead through the water crisis, which caused the percentage of students enrolled in special education in Flint\u2019s public schools to skyrocket<\/a>.<\/p>\n These challenges make it hard for Flint schools to compete for enrollment with schools of choice, such as other public schools outside of the district where students live, charter schools, and private schools.<\/p>\n In 2024, the state government launched the Michigan Growth Office<\/a> to attract residents and workers to the state. This May, Flint recorded its first population increase in 25 years; the city grew by 76 residents. Similarly, the public school system embarked on an initiative last school year to grow its student enrollment<\/a> and recruit certified teachers.<\/p>\n The effort involves a series of commercials and social media campaigns that focus on individual schools\u2019 facilities and programs. Grassroots outreach efforts also play a role. <\/p>\n \u201cThis summer, we made sure that we were at community events,\u201d said Kimberly Willis, a spokesperson for the district. Representatives of the district attended a Juneteenth parade in Flint. They hosted a booth at a popular local car show. And they showed up to community neighborhood events, toting free ice cream and bounce houses.<\/p>\n \u201cBasically, we\u2019re like: Come and have fun with us for the day. And if you want information about enrollment, we\u2019re here to talk to you about it,\u201d said Willis.<\/p>\n As the district attempts to rebuild its student population, it\u2019s also working to fill current and pending teacher vacancies. More than half of the district\u2019s teachers are at the cusp of retirement, said Takesha Montgomery, the executive director of human resources. <\/p>\n And with a current starting salary for teachers of $38,000, the district knew it needed to do something to compete with nearby, better-resourced districts for incoming teachers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wanted to have a bit of a competitive edge,\u201d Montgomery said.<\/p>\n Enter commitment bonuses for new teachers. Funded by a state grant, the bonuses the district promises to new certified teachers come in two tiers: one-time $10,000 bonuses for new certified general education teachers who commit to teach for one year, and two annual $12,000 bonuses (for a total of $24,000) for certified special education teachers who make a two-year commitment.<\/p>\n The bonuses will be distributed in multiple installments. This way they double, to an extent, as a retention strategy, Montgomery said. New teachers receive the first installment of their bonus after their completing their first 30 working days, the second one at the end of the first semester, and the remaining sum in their last paycheck of the school year. This same process will be spread over two school years for the special education teaching recruits.<\/p>\n By mid-August, 13 teachers had accepted new positions with Flint Community Schools, and the district had additional offers out to other prospective teaching candidates. A week before school starts on Sept. 2, about 20 teaching vacancies remained throughout the district. <\/p>\n Using bonuses as a recruitment or retention strategy isn\u2019t new. Districts and some states have offered them in the past\u2014usually in the ballpark of a few thousand dollars. But in some areas, where teacher shortages are most severe, the bonuses can be substantial. <\/p>\nWill teacher signing bonuses stick around as a recruitment tool?<\/h2>\n