The Indianola School Board heard public comments regarding the $1,000 teacher retention bonuses Governor Kim Reynolds announced during her “State of the State” address in January. The bonuses will apply to teachers, but not to support staff, counselors, nurses, etc., and public comments were advocating for the district to provide bonuses to staff who did not receive one. Superintendent Art Sathoff tells KNIA News the district will be deficit spending next year, and adding additional staff including elementary teachers to keep class sizes down, a tech integrationist to assist with the rollout of devices to elementary students, additional tech support staff, and a high school online learning support position. Sathoff said the board and administration are still looking at solutions.

“It’s a tough situation. The old Mark Twain saying is no good deed goes unpunished. That’s kind of what it feels like when the state gives a retention payment to part of your employees, and the district is left to figure out how you can take care of others or if they are just left out in the cold.”

The bonus payments were leftover funds from the American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 Relief, and part of a program called the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds, also known as ESSER.