The Winston-Salem Forsyth County Board of Education unanimously voted to provide end-of-year supplements of nearly $1,000 to all employees at a special meeting on Tuesday.
The district received $4.5 million from the state to provide supplements to just over 4,000 certified employees.
Pre-K teachers and classified staff like maintenance workers and bus drivers aren’t eligible for those funds. Chief Financial Officer Tommy Kranz said this prompted district administration to look for other ways to provide those employees with the same supplements.
“In working with Ms. McManus, and about equity, and the district as a team, and all of our success and failures are together as one ... my recommendation to Ms. McManus is that we have funds available if we want to pay all of our staff this amount," Kranz said.
The board voted to allocate about $3.7 million in local funds to provide the same supplements to roughly 3,700 additional employees.
Board member Susan Miller thanked these staff members for their contributions to the district in a prayer at the beginning of the meeting.
“On this day, dear Lord, we salute and thank all classified and certified employees for the difference they make in reaching each child," Miller said. "We sincerely appreciate them and are thankful for them that they chose the education profession, which is so vital to our society and nation.”
The supplements are scheduled to be paid out to employees on June 9.
Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.