On June 16th, the Prince William County School Board voted to give all full-time employees of Prince William County Schools a $1,600 bonus with $20,207,427 in year-end funds. All active full-time employees will receive a one-time pay adjustment of $1,600, prorated for those working part-time and start date, with a minimum of $500. All active substitutes, temporary employees, and Retirement Opportunity employees who earned a minimum of $1,000 this past year will receive a one-time pay adjustment of $500.

In the past, Supervisor Vega has said she does not agree with one-size-fits-all, across the board bonuses, but instead based on a case by case basis, upon merit, in collaboration with agency supervisors.

Many parents and taxpayers complained to Supervisor Vega’s office this past year that their children or grandchildren did not receive compensatory education for the amount of taxes paid to provide the education. Much of this related to the ongoing decision by the Prince William County School Board, at the request of the Prince William Education Association (which claims to represent the views of member teachers) to keep the overwhelming majority of students out of classrooms for much of the year. Parents complained that these actions contradicted CDC guidance which said that schools were one of the safest place someone could be in the midst of the pandemic.

A March story in Inside NOVA showed that PWCS data confirmed a massive increase in the number of students whose grades were falling due to the preferred learn-at-home teaching supported by the school division during the first part of last school year. Full year numbers have not yet been released. In addition to failing grades, increases in student depression and police calls for service were seen throughout the country in jurisdictions who persisted in maintaining the practice of virtual learning contrary to the CDC’s suggestions.

– Coles District Staff