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Since COVID-19 first began to impact teaching and learning across our state last spring, school officials said that educators have risen to the occasion to connect with students and take the necessary steps to adapt instruction to ensure learning never stopped in the district.
Through continuing negotiations since July 16, the Osceola County School Board and the Osceola County Education Association have reached tentative agreement on $9.5 million for salary increases for instructional personnel for the 2020-21 school year.
According to a Osceola County School District press release, the School Board recognizes the talent and hard work of educators and values the critical role teachers play in ensuring educational excellence for every child.
Since COVID-19 first began to impact teaching and learning across our state last spring, school officials said that educators have risen to the occasion to connect with students and take the necessary steps to adapt instruction to ensure learning never stopped in the district.
Working within the mandates of HB 641, HB 5001, and within the limits of the Florida Legislature’s allocation for Osceola County, the School District will ensure all classroom teachers as defined in the statute earn the minimum base salary of $46,100. This would be retroactive back to July 1. HB 5001 specifically states that 80 percent of the district’s allocation be used for this purpose.
The remaining 20 percent of the district's teacher salary allocation will allow the School Board to:
• ensure all non-classroom instructional personnel earn the minimum base salary of $46,100.
•provide the following salary increases for eligible full-time instructional employees who are within the following pay ranges:
•$46,100 to $50,000 = $650
•$50,001 to $55,000 = $750
•$55,000 and above = $1,000
In addition, while the School Board recognizes the importance and value of collaboration that occurs in professional learning communities, the board also recognizes the tremendous demands on the time and energy of our educators, particularly this year. Proposed changes to contract language would require teachers to continue to meet in PLC’s on early release Wednesdays, but teachers would no longer be required to dedicate two planning periods each month to PLC’s.
The tentative agreement will now go to OCEA members for ratification and then to the School Board for approval.
“I speak on behalf of our dedicated School Board members when I say that we all are excited and anxious to see these dollars reach the hands and homes of our dedicated teachers before Winter Break,” said School Superintendent Debra Pace. “We appreciate the collaborative relationship we have with the Osceola County Educators Association to honor and support the amazing work of our dedicated educators.”
