Martin County teachers, school district reach tentative contract; raise based on experience
MARTIN COUNTY — Teachers would get a boost in salary based on experience under a tentative agreement reached between the union and the school district.
The tentative agreement would raise teachers' base salary by $85 for every year of experience. A teacher with 10 years of experience, for example, would get $850 added to their base salary, according to a school district news release. Teachers would receive $75 or $100 bonuses for being rated effective and highly effective in their jobs. Teachers also would receive a one-time bonus of $790 from federal COVID-relief funds.
The contract will cost the district about $1.5 million, said district spokeswoman Jennifer DeShazo.
The district's 1,197 teachers are to vote on the proposed contract next week, said Gary Simmons, chief negotiator for the Martin County Education Association, which represents the teachers. All teachers are eligible to vote, regardless of whether they are union members, he said. About 30%-40% of teachers usually participate, he said.
Union officials are urging teachers to ratify the contract, Simmons said. Negotiations for the 2023-2024 school year began in July. If the contract is approved, the teachers would receive retroactive pay for the 2023-2024 school year.
If approved by the teachers, the School Board will consider the contract May 21, officials said.
The contract addresses teacher salary to make it more affordable for teachers to live in Martin County, and is more competitive with other Treasure Coast school districts, Simmons said. Last year, the district ranked 46th out of the state's 67 districts in average teacher salary, despite the county being the seventh-most expensive county to live, he said.
"We wanted to present an increase to keep those teachers in Martin County," Simmons said. "We feel this proposal addresses a lot of the issues and concerns we brought to the board."
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"Today marks a significant step forward for the Martin County School District as we proudly announce an agreement with the Martin County Education Association for the 2023-2024 school year," schools Superintendent Michael Maine said in a prepared statement. "This agreement reflects our commitment to recognizing the dedication and expertise of our educators and shows that we are not only investing in our teachers, but also ensuring that our students receive the highest quality education."
Union officials want to begin negotiating earlier this year for the 2024-2025 school year, Simmons said.
Colleen Wixon is the education reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers. Contact her at colleen.wixon@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Martin teachers, district reach tentative contract agreement on salary
