The International Schools Review Forum

I have taught for 30 years and over 15 of them have been internationally. Has anyone ever heard of a school offering an " early decision bonus" for making the decision to NOT return the following year? My school is offering bonuses of $1000 dollars payable at the end of the school year even though teachers have not been given letters of intent or informed if their contracts will be renewed.
Thoughts? Teachers have one week to make decisions as we got the early decision letters today.

I've been at schools that give a bonus for letting them know either way. The bonus is larger for those staying than for those letting them know they are leaving, but it is still nice if you know you are on your way out! I don't think it is common, but some schools do do it.

Seems fine to me. You get money if you make a decision early rather than later. Early decisions are good for the school, so they're providing an incentive.
I don't think I've heard of this particular incentive, but why question it? It doesn't appear to hurt anyone.

Wish my school did this!! :)

Shanghai American paid a $1000 early decision bonus on October 18 if you decided against returning next year. Unless there are circumstances out of your control or you definitely know you have other or better options, I'm not sure the flexibility is worth the $1000. Just my opinion.

Did SAS pay if you renewed ?

QSI gives a decision bonus either way. If you decide to leave by December 1st, you get ~ $1300. If you decide to stay and sign on for another year, you get a ~$2700 signing bonus.

My school offered $1000 for those that could indicate by mid October that they were NOT going to return. The school had already distributed contracts by this time.

@ Sid, the teachers have not been given any indication of whether or not their contracts will be renewed, pay rises have been mentioned, but currently no scale has been distributed so people have no idea what they would be getting by staying.....I could go on and on but it makes me weary!

it happens more often at higher tier schools, with lower turnover.

Your not really getting a bonus, your just getting a differntly labeled form of delayed compensation. A school knows how much your worth, and they dont pay more then that. That $1K could have been a bonus without strings attached but now has a condition attached to it.

The school offers the money so they can advertise the positions early. Think of it as early notification. Many teachers who know they are leaving wait until the last minute to resign. The bonus is enough of an incentive to have them formally resign.