INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Public Schools is preparing to offer an incentive to get its employees vaccinated.
13News learned Friday an overwhelming number of IPS employees have already received the COVID-19 vaccine, even though the district isn't requiring it. Administrators are now getting ready to shell out cash to those who get the shot.
The $300 incentive was negotiated into both the teachers' union and staff union contracts. Payments to those who have been vaccinated will go out by the end of the month.
The incentive appears to have worked, as more than 80% of teachers and school principals reported being vaccinated. The number is slightly lower for the rest of the staff, which includes paraprofessionals, custodians and food service workers among other positions. Seventy-one percent of the IPS staff has been vaccinated.
It adds up to 2,560 employees who reported having gotten the vaccine by the district's deadline. That means IPS will send out $768,000 in incentives.
"We can verify that they are vaccinated. As we head into the winter season, that is extremely encouraging, and gives me some more hope and confidence that we'll be able to operate with our schools, you know, open for students to learn, particularly as our youngest students are also now eligible to be vaccinated," said IPS Superintendent Dr. Aleesia Johnson.
While getting the vaccine is not mandatory for IPS employees and workers don't have to report whether they got the vaccine, but if they don't, employees must then undergo weekly COVID testing, which started this week.
IPS reported that through that testing, it learned another 50 employees are now vaccinated.