Rochester City School District
Media Advisory
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 1, 2021
Editor Contact:
Marisol Ramos-Lopez
585.455.2844 (m)
Incentives Offered for Current and Future RCSD
Staff Members
The Rochester City School District is offering incentives to current and future school bus drivers to help minimize impacts of a staffing shortage. Since September, when the District announced that its bus providers did not have enough drivers to transport all students to and from school, several adjustments were made to ensure safe travel for the more than 29,000 students who receive transportation from the RCSD. 
 
The District has been working collectively with BENTE, the bargaining unit that represents several employees including school bus drivers, to keep the current employees it has and attract more to the RCSD workforce. The following incentives are being offered:

New employee recruitment incentive:
  • Any school bus driver who is hired between now and April 1, 2022, will receive a hiring incentive bonus payment of to up to $2,500.

Retention incentive for current employees:
  • Any current employee, prior to October 25, 2021, whose position requires a Commercial Drivers’ License (“CDL”) is eligible to receive a $2,500 retention bonus. Employees must remain with the District for one year, in order to receive the bonus.  
 
Attendance Incentive:
  • Any current school bus driver who is absent two days or less per semester (Sept – Jan; Feb-Jun) is eligible for a $250.00 dollar attendance bonus after the semester ends. 
 
Recruiting Referral Bonus:
  • During this school year (’21 – ’22), up to 200 current employees who refer an individual to the District as either a school bus driver, clerical, food service, school safety officer (SSO), paraprofessional or teaching assistant, will receive a referral bonus of $100.00 dollars. 

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lesli Myers-Small said, “Retaining our employees is critical. These positions are vital to the operations of the District. We hope to attract more individuals who can join an exceptional workforce dedicated to the well-being of students and families.”  

131 W. Broad Street, Rochester, NY 14614 | 585-262-8100