A Union leader representing Osceola County’s education employees said the new compensation package collectively bargained and tentatively agreed to with the school district provides “the largest salary increase I’ve had in the 21 years I’ve been here.”
The Osceola County School District announced the $29.8 million compensation package was tentatively agreed on Thursday; $22.8 million for teachers, $4 million for education support personnel (ESP) and $3 million for Teamsters.
“This package is beneficial for every employee in this district,” said Janet Moody, the new president of the Osceola County Educators Association. “This is a positive because it will give teachers who have been leaving the profession a reason to stay in Osceola County.”
The three parts of the agreement will go to the School Board for ratification before the start of the school year in just about three weeks.
The big piece of the settlement is a 5% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for all full-time, currently employed instructional, ESP, and teamsters employees. The union had been seeking an 8.7% COLA.
“When you count the $2,000 bonus we received (in the last bargaining session), we got the 8.7,” Moody said. “It won’t alleviate all teachers, but it will help those nearing retirement, the veteran teachers who felt punished when the ‘steps’ were eliminated years ago and the minimums for new teachers were increased.”
A first-year teacher will make $49,000 under this agreement, a salary increase of $500, and returning employees who have evaluation ratings of “effective” or “highly effective” will receive $900 and $1,200 salary increases respectively.
The agreement also includes a health insurance increase to the Board Contribution for a total of $7,498 per employee, and a Flexible Spending Account Match where the School Board shall match the employee’s FSA savings of $750 or more with a contribution of $250 in order to assist the employee toward the employee’s deductible.
“I speak on behalf of our School Board members when I say we will continue to collaborate with OCEA in order to get these dollars into the hands of our dedicated educators as soon as a tentative agreement is ratified by both parties,” said Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff.
More details of all three agreements can be found online at www.osceolaschools.net/Page/6812
