The Impact of a $10,000 Bonus on Special Education Teacher Shortages in Hawai'i.

This article examines the impact of a $10,000 bonus policy implemented in Hawai'i Public Schools starting in 2020, which increased salaries for all special education teachers. The policy led to a 32% reduction in the proportion of vacant special education teaching positions relative to general education positions and a 35% reduction in positions that were vacant or filled by unlicensed teachers, with the largest effects observed in historically hard-to-staff schools where additional bonuses were also provided. The reduction in shortages was driven primarily by general education teachers transferring into special education roles within the same schools, rather than by improved retention of existing special education teachers. These findings suggest that substantial financial incentives can effectively address special education teacher shortages through internal redistribution of teachers, particularly benefiting students with disabilities in challenging school contexts.