The School Board of Orange County held a hearing Thursday to resolve an impasse over a contract between the school district and the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association (CTA). The school board decided to accept the March 13, 2014 recommendations of a neutral independent third-party special magistrate. Highlights of the recommendations and school board decision include the following:

  • The school board will include retroactive pay to August 2013 in whatever contract is implemented before a May 31 deadline set by the Florida Department of Education.
  • The salary offer preserves the contractual rights of Professional Services Contract (“tenured”) teachers through the adoption of the new salary schedule prior to July 1, 2014.
  • Ninety-nine percent of teachers who had an evaluation during school year 2012-13 will receive at least a $2,475 increase in salary.
  • Of the 99 percent, teachers rated as “Highly Effective” will receive a $2,775 increase in salary.

The next steps will be taken after Thursday’s school board decision and any previous agreements made by the Collective Bargaining Leadership Team will be combined into a document and sent to the CTA to distribute to all district teachers for ratification. CTA controls and manages the ratification process.

If the teachers ratify the agreement in a timely manner they will likely see their 2013-14 pay increase retroactive to August 2013 by their first paycheck in June.