Harmony Public Charter Schools Award Teachers, School Employees $15 Million in Bonuses

The average Harmony teacher will receive between $3,000-$4,000 this week

Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Roughly 5,000 teachers and other school employees from Harmony Public Schools will enjoy a festive start to the holiday this season this week as they receive a combined total of $15 million in bonuses from the Texas-based public charter school.

Beginning Monday, Oct. 21, Harmony will pay a bonus stipend in the amount of six percent of each Exempt (Salaried) employee’s annual salary.

For the average teacher, the bonus will amount to between $3,000-$4,000.

For all current Non-Exempt (Hourly) Harmony employees, Harmony Public Schools will provide a one-time stipend in the amount of:
 

• $1,000 for returning full time non-exempt (hourly) employees
• $300 for temporary non-exempt (hourly) employees (interns, crossing guards, & tutors)

To be eligible, employees must have been employed by Harmony during the 2023-24 school year, and remain employed through at least October 18, 2024.

The stipend is just the latest in several similar compensation boosts that Harmony has offered employees in recent years. Most recently, Harmony paid employees a similar five-percent bonus in November 2023. Harmony teachers also may earn a variety of stipends each year for sponsoring school clubs; teaching in hard-to-staff locations or high-priority subjects; or even just growing their skills by taking professional development courses.

Harmony also was an early adopter of the Texas Education Agency’s Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) which allows the school system’s top teachers to earn between $3,000-$30,000 in additional compensation each year. Currently, about 1,000 Harmony teachers receive payment from the TIA program.