HCPSS Employees To Receive Bonus: Official

HOWARD COUNTY, MD —All full-time employees with the Howard County Public School System will receive a $1,800 public education commitment bonus this school year, which also will be prorated for part-time employees. The board of education will use its elementary and secondary school emergency relief fund III grant to support the bonuses.

“For our teachers and support staff, these past two years have been especially grueling, and I believe it is more important than ever to retain those committed educators who make our school system among the best in the nation,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said. “I appreciate that our superintendent and board of education have acted and joined me in demonstrating our gratitude for our educators as a reward for their hard work and dedication to our children.”

Compensation adjustments for represented HCPSS employees are subject to final bargaining agreements and all HCPSS bargaining units, including HCEA, HCEA-ESP, AFSCME, HCASA-NCS and HCASA-Admin have agreed to receive these bonuses.

“Every school system staff member, including teachers, health care workers, custodians, administrators and support professionals play a direct role in taking care of our 57,000 students and ensuring our 77 schools remain operational. Our employees have had to pivot multiple times during this pandemic while tending to their families, yet their commitment to nurturing and educating our students has never wavered,” HCPSS Superintendent Michael J. Martirano added. “As we contend with staff shortages, increased demands on workload and a changing pandemic, these bonuses are just a small token of our appreciation."