ATLANTA — Atlanta Public Schools announced on Friday that all current district employees will receive a one-time bonus of up to $2,000.
The investment, intended to recognize staff members across all departments, is scheduled for distribution on April 15.
On April 2, the Atlanta Board of Education voted to expand the stipend to include all employee classifications, including those who were not eligible under the state’s original framework.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 973 on March 3.
The legislation provided a one-time $2,000 supplement for eligible K-12 teachers and school support staff across the state.
While the state investment focused on specific roles, Atlanta officials moved to broaden the scope of the payments using district resources.
Jessica Johnson serves as the board chair of the Atlanta Board of Education.
She noted that ensuring the bonus reached all members of the workforce was a central goal for the district leadership.
“This was a clear priority for the Board,” Johnson said. “We saw an opportunity to expand this investment and make sure it reached the full APS team, not just a portion of it. Our employees show up for our students every day, and this was our opportunity to show up for them.”
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Dr. Bryan Johnson is the superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools.
He expressed that the district’s success depends on the cooperation of staff members across all departments, from cafeterias to front offices.
“This is about recognizing the full APS team,” Johnson said. “The state made an important investment in educators, but here in Atlanta, we decided to go further. We expanded that investment to include employees across our district, because it takes every single one of us to support our students, every single day.”
To qualify for the one-time payment, employees must have been active in their roles as of Jan. 2, 2026.
Staff members on approved Family and Medical Leave Act status are also eligible to receive the stipend.
The district indicated that additional eligibility requirements may apply to certain cases.
The specific amount of the bonus is tied to employment status.
Full-time employees working at a 0.5 full-time equivalent or greater will receive up to $2,000.
Part-time employees working 49% or less of a full-time schedule are eligible for prorated amounts based on their specific work percentage.
Substitute and hourly employees can receive up to $1,000, with final totals determined by the number of days they have worked.
The one-time bonus payments will be distributed to all eligible Atlanta Public Schools employees on April 15, 2026.
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