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Mountain View Whisman is offering $1,000 to teachers who let the school district know early that they aren’t returning for the 2026-27 school year.
The school board voted unanimously at a Thursday, Dec. 18, meeting to establish an early notification stipend, which will apply to any permanent certificated employee – a classification that includes teachers, psychologists and administrators – who tells the district in writing by Jan. 23 that they won’t be coming back next school year.
The board signed off on the one-time payment without discussion as part of its consent agenda, a portion of the meeting containing routine items intended to be approved in a single vote.
Typically, departing staff members aren’t required to inform the district that they’re not returning until June 30, Mountain View Whisman spokesperson Shelly Hausman said. However, March and April are prime months for recruiting and hiring the best teachers, she added. With this new stipend, the district is aiming to make more effective staffing decisions throughout the spring.
“When staffing levels match student needs, schools can provide the right mix of classroom teachers and support staff, reducing changes in summer and in August and fewer disruptions for students and staff,” Hausman wrote in an email to the Voice.
The newly established stipend does not require staff to notify the district early, but administrators hope that it will incentivize anyone who is on the fence about whether to return to decide sooner rather than later, Hausman said.
This comes at a time when the district is planning to make budget cuts that are likely to impact staffing levels. Last month, the school board directed administrators to plan to reduce spending by at least $9 million in response to sluggish revenue growth.
By the end of January, the board is expected to receive formal recommendations on where to make reductions. Administrators are considering recommending that the board approve laying off 15% of the staff at the district office. That would save roughly $4 million, less than half the total that the district is looking to cut.
At the Dec. 18 board meeting, Superintendent Jeff Baier stressed that the district wants to keep cuts away from students and classrooms.
Why is MVWSD fixing a riverbank when we have to lay off the teachers?
Maybe because the riverbank is collapsing? If you don’t fix it now, it’ll get worse, start eating into the playing field and require more expensive repairs.
More importantly, no one is talking about layoffs. And enrollment is on a downward trend. MVWSD can afford to lose some teachers.
IVG must not have kids
Absolutely visionary, spend significant school money on teacher housing, fail to get teachers to substantially use the housing (instead just let city employees get the benefit), then pay teachers additional money to leave. Wow, this district is cutting edge.
A budget crunch? In rich Mountain View?
I have an idea: get rid of the Chromebooks. How much do those cost?
The smarter/richer public schools nearby don’t give screens to little kids. And neither do the smart tech workers in our fair city.
Ditch the expensive toys that are no good for anybody. Focus on teaching. How much could it cost…