Pasco teachers reach 5% pay raise deal
Pasco County teachers are line to receive pay raises averaging just over 5%, after representatives from the school district and teachers union reached a deal Wednesday in their first round of bargaining over salaries and benefits.
The agreement, which still requires ratification, includes a 3.5% boost to teachers’ recurring annual pay and an additional increase to the amount teachers receive from the district’s voter-approved local-option property tax referendum, in its second of four years. The referendum revenue also will be used to provide one-year supplements of $2,000 for teachers in critical shortage areas related to special education.
In addition, the agreement includes a 3% increase in pay that teachers receive for academic and athletic coaching or sponsor positions. It increases the amount that teachers earn if they give up their planning period to cover an extra teaching period. And it maintains a free health insurance plan for employees.
The base teacher pay, including $2,500 from the referendum, will be $50,000.
“This is an economic package to be excited about,” said Jeff Larsen, United School Employees of Pasco president. “It’s our third consecutive year where we have an economic package greater than 5%.”
Nora Light, the district’s lead negotiator, said the agreement also puts money into teachers’ pockets in other ways, such as covering rising contributions to state retirement funds, social security and workers compensation. She noted charter schools also get a percentage of the money available for raises.
“This has been a very good and productive negotiating season,” Light said.
The sides needed just over two hours to conclude their talks in their fifth bargaining session.
Light came in with an offer of 3% increases to recurring salary, plus a boost in the referendum funding. She said that was all the district had budgeted for.
Jessica Medina, the union’s lead negotiator, responded by saying her team “really likes” several portions of the district offer, such as the increase in supplemental pay, which has been stagnant for years. She then asked for 1% more in salary, saying it would benefit veteran teachers who have dedicated themselves to the district.
“Every single person in our district would give 4% (in recurring pay) if we could,” Light said. “We can’t. This is what we can do.”
She introduced the compromise that would wind up being the final deal. The union bargaining team left the room briefly to discuss the offer, then returned with Medina saying, “I have something to sign. We did not change a thing.”
Pasco is the latest in a string of Tampa Bay area school districts to reach a quick settlement on its teacher pay this year, following in the footsteps of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. The districts have been under pressure from the state in recent years to quickly get state money set aside for teacher salaries into their paychecks.
The district is scheduled to negotiate pay with its non-instructional employees on Thursday.
Jeffrey S. Solochek is an education reporter covering K-12 education policy and schools. Reach him at jsolochek@tampabay.com.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2024/08/28/pasco-teachers-reach-5-pay-raise-deal/