New African-American Teachers Could Get Bonuses

African American teachers are needed in Paducah and McCracken County schools.

In an effort to help address that need, the McCracken County Community Career Endowment, Inc. (MCCCE) will again issue a recruitment bonus of $1,000.00 payable directly to a newly hired “certified” African-American teacher by the Paducah Independent School system or the McCracken County School system. Present District employees who are presently in other positions and subsequently obtain “certified” teacher status will also be eligible for the recruitment bonus.
 
State law gives school districts and educational entities the task of “reviewing and revising as needed the strategic plan for increasing the number of minority teachers and administrators in the Commonwealth.”  Local school districts should also work to identify methods for “increasing the percentage of minority educators in proportion to the number of minority students.”
 
MCCCE is trying to help the two local school districts to adhere to that strategy because, as the Minority Student Achievement Task Force of the Kentucky Department of Education stated in 2000, "It is important that all students benefit from diverse experiences and that our schools represent the richness of America’s cultural diversity, all districts will show annually an increase in the diversity of staff and, by 2004, staff in all school districts will be in proportion with the number of minorities within the school population.”
 
MCCCE is reserving $7,000.00 for the recruitment and hiring of seven (7) additional African American teachers, issued on first come, first serve basis until funds are depleted or until December 31, 2012. Four (4) teachers were awarded the $1,000.00 signing bonus last year after being hired by the Paducah Independent School system. The group is also partnering with Murray State University and West Kentucky Community and Technical College to identify African-American high school Seniors who want to become teachers. At least two Minority Educator Recruitment and Retention Scholarships are available to Seniors nominated by the MCCCE.
 
The MCCCE encourages other organizations who would like to increase the teacher recruitment bonuses, to make them more attractive, to contact them at 270-444-6962 or e-mail at mc3cendowment @aol.com.