Southwest Kansas

Bucklin Schools, USD 459

District Classification: 1A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 499 or less
Counties served: Ford County

Small class sizes
Thirty minute drive to Dodge City, two hours to Wichita

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: 0-9

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
$2500.00 Sign on Bonus

District’s current salary schedule:
Base is $42038.69

District’s Mentoring Program:
First year and new teachers recieve a district assigned mentor.

District’s recruitment video:

Contact Info:
eevans@usd459.org

Deerfield, USD 216

District Classification: 1A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 499 or less
Counties served: Kearny County

USD 216 District Video

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: 0-9

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
$2,000 Sign on Bonuses, teacher housing at a lower rental rate than rentals in the area. Typically $500 to $600. Will help with transition to teaching cost. Will reimburse at $120 a credit hour for Masters Degree Work. No cap on the salary schedule. Full Health Insurance Benefit. District Cell Phone Plan.

District’s current salary schedule:
We are on a merit-based salary schedule. Current Base Salary is $39,000 and goes up $500 a year. BOE is considering a big base increase this year. With our Merit system the teacher is in control of the raise they get each year. Teachers can earn up to a $1,500 raise each year which is applied to their salary so they grow in salary faster than most districts and it benefits their KPERS as well. Salary Schedule can be found on district website www.usd216.org

District’s Mentoring Program:
Every new teacher is partnered with a teacher in the district and participates in our district mentor program. We provide 2 years of mentoring for new teachers. Every teacher in our district also has their own instructional coach to help work with them on what they would like to improve on and work on for their class.

District’s recruitment video:
Recruitment Video

Contact Info:

Dodge City Public Schools

District Classification: 6A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 2,000 or more
Counties served: Ford County

Dodge City Public Schools serves a diverse student population of over 7,200 students. This diversity is reflected in the wide range of home languages spoken by students, representing 20 different languages from 41 countries. This multicultural environment enriches the educational experience and provides a unique learning community.

Our district leadership places a strong emphasis on safety, early literacy, and college and career readiness. To ensure a secure learning environment, the district has four resource officers dedicated to our high school and two middle schools. Additionally, over 1,000 cameras are installed across our schools, enhancing security measures. We have also implemented the “LOVE YOU GUYS” protocols to manage emergency situations, demonstrating our commitment to the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

At our High School, the Career Technical Education Program (CTE) boasts over 100 career and technical classes for the high school students including JROTC, agriculture, business, teacher-cadet programs, construction, emergency services, hospitality and tourism, and information technology. These programs help our students identify career paths by providing work-based learning opportunities.

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: 20-29

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
$1500 sign on bonus
Full Paid Medical Benefit including full dental and vision ($8109 Value)
Paid lodging and mileage for a visit to see our district in action
One of the most competitive contracts in the state when it comes to salary and advancement opportunities - Find our Negotiated Agreement at www.usd443.org
Eligibility for loan forgiveness opportunities

District’s current salary schedule:
Salary Schedule

District’s Mentoring Program:
MISSION
The mission of the USD 443 Educator Support Program (ESP) is to ensure high-quality instruction for every student by providing differentiated professional support, mentoring, and ongoing assistance for all teachers who are new to the profession and/or district, as well as for personnel serving in the role of long-term substitute (LTS) teacher.
PURPOSE

The USD 443 Educator Support Program (ESP) provides knowledge and application of evidence-based instructional practices in order to improve student achievement. Activities are aligned to the four constructs measured in the Kansas Educator Evaluation Protocol (KEEP2): Learning & Learning, Content Knowledge, Instructional Practice, and Professional Responsibility.

District’s recruitment video:
Recruitment Video

Contact Info:
www.usd443.org

Garden City Public Schools

District Classification: 6A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 2,000 or more
Counties served: Finney County

Garden City offers a warm, welcoming community that blends small-town atmosphere with big-city opportunities. Garden City Public Schools is the 10th largest Kansas school district in student population and the 2nd largest district in land area. There are 18 campuses that serve more than 7,000 students. Approximately 35 languages are spoken by students in the district.

Every teacher is a member of a professional learning community that meets regularly and is guided by instructional coaches that provide job-embedded professional development.

Garden City is home to a vareity of parks, baseball and soccer fields, adults sports leagues, golf courses, water parks, and a zoo. Local events are hosted year-round, including art festivals, cultural celebrations, and community theatre productions. Many events are centered around bustling downtown businesses and include a variety of vendors and food trucks.

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: more than 50

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
The district offers a $1,000 signing bonus, BOE full contribution to fringe (medical & dental), supplemental stipends for additional duties, and Master's reimbursement up to $7500. Time off includes 3 personal and 9 sick leave days.

District’s current salary schedule:
Starting salary for a first year teacher is $47,000 for school year 2024-25. Step and credit increases begin at $600 per year and become larger with additional years of experience.

District’s Mentoring Program:
The Beginning Teacher/Mentor Program provides our beginning teachers with a teaching and learning experience that will refine and/or develop their skills. Some of these skills will focus around instruction, involvement, results orientation, and systemic approach. Additional skills will focus on lesson planning, effective questioning, positive reinforcement, management of student behavior, parent communication.

District’s recruitment video:
Recruitment Video

Contact Info:
www.gckschools.com

Greeley County Schools

District Classification: 1A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 499 or less
Counties served: Greeley County

Greeley County Schools, located close to the Colorado border in Tribune, Kansas is a progressive district of 240 PreK-12th grade students striving for excellence in academics, character, and activities. Our schools are fortunate to have a stable student population retaining our small class sizes where all students have increased opportunities to be successful. In addition, our district`s teachers and students have access to new technology with all classrooms equipped with one-to-one technology. The district has updated facilities and a commitment to routine maintenance. The community has also seen growth with the opening of new businesses.

Additional benefits of living in this rural community are that Tribune has a critical care access hospital, active library, and recreational opportunities such as the city swimming pool, golf course, disc golf, fitness center, and active recreation program for both youth and adults. Also, Colorado Springs and the Rocky Mountains are just a little over 3 hours away.
Greeley County Schools operates on a 4-day school week.

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: 0-9

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
The district pays 100% of the monthly premium towards a single insurance plan in the district`s group plan. We also have tuition reimbursement of up to $150 per hour for a max of 12 hours per year towards an advanced degree. The county in partnership with the state sponsors a ROZ program where teachers can receive up to $15,000 over 5 years to use towards their student loans. Also, new teachers find our mentoring program helpful along with our positive administrative and classified staff. Greeley County Schools are a great place to enjoy the opportunity to impact students` lives as an educator!

District’s current salary schedule:
USD 200 Salary Schedule

YEAR EXP B.DEGREE PLUS 10 PLUS 20 PLUS 30 M.DEGREE PLUS 10 PLUS 20
0 $39,187
1 $41,977 $42,427 $42,877 $43,327 $44,327 $44,777 $45,227
2 $42,427 $42,877 $43,327 $43,777 $44,777 $45,227 $45,677
3 $42,877 $43,327 $43,777 $44,227 $45,227 $45,677 $46,127
4 $43,327 $43,777 $44,227 $44,677 $45,677 $46,127 $46,577
5 $43,777 $44,227 $44,677 $45,127 $46,127 $46,577 $47,027
6 $44,227 $44,677 $45,127 $45,577 $46,577 $47,027 $47,477
7 $44,677 $45,127 $45,577 $46,027 $47,027 $47,477 $47,927
8 $45,127 $45,577 $46,027 $46,477 $47,477 $47,927 $48,377
9 $46,027 $46,477 $46,927 $47,927 $48,377 $48,827
10 $46,477 $46,927 $47,377 $48,377 $48,827 $49,277
11 $46,927 $47,377 $47,827 $48,827 $49,277 $49,727
12 $47,377 $47,827 $48,277 $49,277 $49,727 $50,177
13 $48,277 $48,727 $49,727 $50,177 $50,627
14 $48,727 $49,177 $50,177 $50,627 $51,077
15 $49,177 $49,627 $50,627 $51,077 $51,527
16 $49,627 $50,077 $51,077 $51,527 $51,977
17 $50,527 $51,527 $51,977 $52,427
18 $50,977 $51,977 $52,427 $52,877
19 $51,427 $52,427 $52,877 $53,327
20 $51,877 $52,877 $53,327 $53,777
21 $52,327 $53,327 $53,777 $54,227
22 $52,777 $53,777 $54,227 $54,677
23 $53,227 $54,227 $54,677 $55,127
24 $54,677 $55,127 $55,577
25 Base Salary $41,977 $55,127 $55,577 $56,027
26 Step & Track $450 $55,577 $56,027 $56,477
27 BA to MA $1,000 $56,477 $56,927
28 $56,927 $57,377
29 $57,377 $57,827

District’s Mentoring Program:
We utilize both state-required mentoring but also include local mentoring where new staff are paired up with a local veteran teacher and can work them through yearly norms. This includes a document of monthly what to expect and upcoming items.

District’s recruitment video:

Contact Info:
www.tribuneschools.org

Leoti-Wichita County, USD 467

District Classification: 2A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 499 or less
Counties served: Wichita County

USD 467 is a small rural town with amazing community support. There are two sections of each grade Preschool through sixth grade with small class sizes of 10 to 18 students per class. There are many diverse extra-curricular opportunities for students.

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: 0-9

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
The district offers a sign-on bonus, single health insurance plan with Blue Cross-Blue Shield, and fourteen unclassified leave days each year.

District’s current salary schedule:
Beginning salary is $44,439.

District’s Mentoring Program:
USD 467 provides mentoring for first year teachers, as well as support to move from the initial teaching license to a professional license.

District’s recruitment video:
Recruitment Video

Contact Info:

Liberal, USD 480

District Classification: 6A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 2,000 or more
Counties served: Seward County

USD 480 is the second largest employer in Liberal with over 850 employees including teachers, academic specialists, paraprofessionals, custodial, transportation, and maintenance staff.

There are approximately 5000 PreKindergarten through 12th-grade students in USD 480. 77% of students are Hispanic, 16% white, and 2% African American. About 79% of students are identified as receiving either free or reduced lunches, with 12% of students being listed as Migrant. 62% of students are identified as English Language Learners.

USD 480’s Career and Technical Education programs prepare students for careers by providing them with relevant, hands-on, real-world experiences in many areas. This program allows students to concurrently take classes at Seward County Community College.

For the past several years, many LHS seniors also earned an associate degree from SCCC before graduating from high school! Our award-winning AVID program prepares students for the rigors of college academics and allows students to visit college campuses throughout their high school careers.

Many after-school activities are available to students. Each elementary school offers an after-school program - Project BLAST - which will provide a safe, fun environment with enrichment activities, homework help, and academic tutoring staffed by teachers and paraprofessionals. LATER at LHS allows high school students access to teachers, the library, and receive additional tutoring in the evening hours.

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: more than 50

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:

District’s current salary schedule:
Salary Schedule

District’s Mentoring Program:
Each new teacher receives a mentor and and handbook to guide conversations and tasks throughout the year. Each building also has an instructional coach to model and support staff.

District’s recruitment video:

Contact Info:

Minneola, USD 219

District Classification: 1A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 499 or less
Counties served: Clark County

Minneola is a small town with a growing atmosphere. The District is located in Southwest Kansas twenty miles south of Dodge City. The area of the district is 292 square miles. The district-wide enrollment is 242 students. A new High School facility was completed in 2006 with a new Grade School is currently being built.

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: 0-9

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
$575 towards district provide health insurance
Up to $150 per credit hour reimbursement for college classes past bachelor's
Free school provided breakfast and lunch
Laptop for school use

District’s current salary schedule:
Base salary: $48,285

District’s Mentoring Program:
We work with Southwest Plains Service Center to provide a quality mentoring program for all new teachers. This provides new teachers with a resource outside of the school district to go to when they need help and support.

District’s recruitment video:

Contact Info:
www.usd219.org
lcuster@usd219.org

Ness City, USD 303

District Classification: 1A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 499 or less
Counties served: Ness County

Small Rural Community that is highly supportive of our schools. Community has several places to eat, grocery store, and Dollar General. Hour to Dodge City, Great Bend, and Hays, and hour 15 minutes to Garden City. Small community but close to everything you need.

School District has invested in technology and has developed a strong network with gig+ Internet access. Staff has worked hard to improve instructional practices through strong professional development opportunities.

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: 0-9

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
90% of single health care paid by District
Up to $300 per credit hour reimbursement toward Masters Degree

District’s current salary schedule:
Starting base salary is $40,750
Salary Schedule

District’s Mentoring Program:
We work with Southwest Plains to provide a quality mentoring program for all new teachers. This provides new teachers with a resource outside of the school district to go to when they need help and support. We also consider ourselves a family at USD 303. Teachers and staff are always ready to help and support each other.

District’s recruitment video:

Contact Info:

Satanta, USD 507

District Classification: 1A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 499 or less
Counties served: Grant County, Haskell County, Seward County, Stevens County

Why teach in Satanta?
You will join a family of teachers who are dedicated to the success of all children.
You can enjoy all the benefits of small-town living with just a short drive to shopping in Garden City, Dodge City, and Liberal.

You will become part of a warm and supportive community.
You can have flexibility within your curriculum along with support to help you use effective teaching practices. We will help you grow as a teacher.
Satanta is a great place to raise a family!

USD 507 is located in Satanta, Kansas. The school district is classified as 1A with about 250 students K-12. We hold classes in two buildings, elementary and junior-senior high. Extra-curricular activities include football, volleyball, basketball, track & field, baseball, softball, cross country, scholars` bowl, forensics, band, vocal, and cheerleading. We offer vocational classes in agriculture, industrial arts, business, art, and family and consumer sciences.

Satanta is a vibrant community located in Southwest Kansas on US Highway 56. The population is approximately 1,200. Many of our patrons work in the agriculture industry on family-owned farms, feedlots, and beef packing plants in nearby communities. Other major employers include Satanta District Hospital, family clinic, long-term care center, Centera Bank, and the oil & gas industry. Our hospital includes a new assisted living facility. We have a thriving recreation department with activities for all ages including basketball, football, volleyball, softball and adult fitness (including a fitness center that is accessible 24 hours a day). The Satanta Area Arts Council and Dudley Township Library offer a variety of cultural activities as well.

Satanta is within driving distance of several larger communities including Liberal, Garden City, and Dodge City.

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: 0-9

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
USD 507 reimburses $200 per credit hour for approved college courses. USD 507 provides 100% reimbursement for ESOL licensure. We also pay $425 per month towards health insurance, and we offer 10 paid time off days.

District’s current salary schedule:
Starting salary is $41,095. Candidates may request a full salary schedule.

District’s Mentoring Program:
We provide one-on-one mentoring for all new teachers.

District’s recruitment video:

Contact Info:
www.usd507.org

Scott County Schools, USD 466

District Classification: 3A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 500-999
Counties served: Scott County

Scott City is a very progressive community in far western Kansas. Our school district receives tremendous support for our student achievements. There are plenty of opportunities for recreation, and Scott City is a great place to raise a family. Consider joining the Beaver Community!

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: 10-19

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
Our district covers $8,000 for our single health plan, $9,000 for our employee plus spouse or children, and $10,000 toward our family health plan. We also match $600/year toward our 403b plan. All employees are covered with a $25,000 life insurance plan, as well.

District’s current salary schedule:
Our base salary is $47,380.

District’s Mentoring Program:
SWPRSC in Sublette supports our mentoring program.

District’s recruitment video:

Contact Info:
www.usd466.com

Spearville, USD 381

District Classification: 1A
Number of Students enrolled in district: 499 or less
Counties served: Ford County, Hodgeman County

Spearville USD #381 is a rural, small-town district with an average class size of 15-20 students. Our community is proud of its school system and supports the school system very well. Spearville is located in southwest Kansas. The location provides a small-town atmosphere, with most city amenities only 20 miles away. USD 381 is an outstanding school district with a strong tradition in student academic success and athletics. All students are provided with a tremendous education.

Spearville is a safe community, and the school district offers its students a safe and orderly learning environment. The school district's climate is positive and proactive with the goal of assisting all students to achieve their greatest potential with cutting-edge technology and current instructional resources.

Number of expected teacher hires for upcoming school year: 0-9

Current Incentives for teacher candidates:
Competitive Pay Scale
Possible Sign-on Bonus
$7,200 in benefits

District’s current salary schedule:
Starting Salary for 24/25 school year is $44,500

District’s Mentoring Program:
Spearville works closely with our area service center as well as assigning a mentor teacher to assist and guide our new teachers. Spearville also provides additional time monthly for lesson planning, quality professional development and PLCs for all the teachers in our district.

District’s recruitment video:

Contact Info:
www.usd381.org