(Omaha, NE) -- Omaha Public Schools announces a plan to give a stipend to all staff during the next two school years.
Wednesday, Omaha Public Schools announced its intent to offer one-time stipends for all staff in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. OPS says the stipend will be paid with Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding. Under the proposal, OPS says all full-time staff would receive $4,500 and that part-time staff would receive $2,250 per school year in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Because ESSER funds expire in 2024, the district says the proposed stipends would be limited to two school years.
Pending Board of Education approval, the Nebraska Department of Education must give final consent to any ESSER amendment. Bargaining unit leaders in Omaha Public Schools would also need to agree to accept the stipend. At an April 2022 Board of Education workshop, Omaha Public Schools announced that certificated staff resignations had already reached the previous school year’s total. As of May 19th, numbers were 497 resignations and 97 retirements.
Omaha Public Schools says its planning for the 2022-23 school year and will continue to hire for all open positions. District leaders anticipate having about 230 certificated positions unfilled across the district in August. As OPS continues to hire staff, that number may adjust. Depending on the school, grade and subject, OPS says many class sizes will remain the same. Others may see an increase of two to five students from our average enrollment.
“While these challenges impact every school district and every professional field, our work in Omaha Public Schools is too important. We are resolute in delivering high-quality, in-person learning for the students we serve,” wrote Board of Education President Shavonna Holman, Ed.D. and Superintendent Cheryl Logan, Ed.D. to district staff and families.