Volusia County Schools unanimously approves $11.7 million teachers' salary contract
After months of negotiations with the Volusia United Educators union and overcoming an impasse in January, the Volusia County School Board unanimously approved Tuesday a $11.7 million contract with teachers.
The agreement had been reached almost a month ago between the district and the union. The deal then went to the teachers, which included nonunion members, for ratification.
“At the end of it all, we had 2,025 ‘yes’ votes to 133 ‘no’ votes,” said Elizabeth Albert, president of the Volusia United Educators, during Tuesday’s meeting. “Of the total population of the bargaining unit, that’s about two-thirds of the folks who voted, and that's a 96% approval rate of those who voted.”
Previous coverage: Volusia County Schools, teachers union reach agreement. What's in the proposed contract?
Earlier impasse:Volusia County School District declares impasse with teachers union over negotiations
Minimum wage:Volusia Schools, unions announce deal to begin $15-an-hour minimum wage on July 1
The package includes:
$5 million in Teacher Salary Allocation increases all teacher salaries, as dictated by legislation.
$2.1 million to continue the Longevity Supplement previously bargained. This money is on top of the $11.7 million offer.
$3.9 million in a retention supplement for VCS employees with 10 or more years of service.
$2.6 million increase to advanced degree supplements.
$250,000 in a one-time bonus for exceptional student education instructors who do not currently receive a stipend.
The first payment will be made on March 9, “which will be the payout of the retention supplement,” said the district’s human resources director, Stephanie Workman. The longevity supplement will then follow on March 31.
“April 14 is when (teachers) will be able to see the new salary slot, reflective of their new pay increase to their hourly rate,” Workman added, along with the advanced degree supplements.
In June of 2022, the board voted to expedite the teachers’ minimum wage increase to $15 an hour beginning in July — months before the Oct. 1 deadline required by the Florida Legislature.
Albert said then that salary negotiations were still happening and that they would have “to address the issue of compression and raises for the 2022-23 school year.”
An impasse on the negotiations declared Jan. 11 "slowed the process," Albert said last month, but both sides worked to reach a resolution as quickly as possible.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia County Schools approves $11.7 million teachers' salary package
