OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla -- It was a late night for school board members, parents and teachers on Tuesday night as the scheduled board meeting went deep into the night. Teachers and Education Support Professionals in the county have been asking for an 8.7% cost of living adjustment for months.

A group of teachers and ESPs were at Tuesday’s meeting, hoping to learn what school board members discussed at a December 6 executive session. There was no specific agenda item designated to this cost-of-living adjustment request, but teachers and a board member told Spectrum News 13 that it was going to be brought up during public comment.

Leaders with the Osceola County Education Association learned from school district leaders during the public comment period that the next bargaining session is scheduled for January.

District 3 School Board Member Jon Arguello said before the board meeting, he brought this topic up at the executive session and he supports this adjustment to increase teacher pay.

“I immediately raised the issue, and I said that we should be rewriting the model because that was the question. They said ‘if we were to do this, it would cost tens of millions of dollars and we would have to rewrite the model of education.’ I said ‘bingo we should be rewriting the model of education.’ that is what I have been saying all along,” explained Arguello. “Now the timing and the employees and the situation have all caught up with one another and the time is now to rewrite educational models. Not next year.”

Felicia Smith who is a Guidance Counselor Clerk at Celebration High School, doesn’t think there will be enough support for the increase.

“It is encouraging to know that at least two people believe in us, but it is discouraging to know that the majority does not,” said Smith. “I don’t understand how they can be a school board member and don’t listen to the employees of the school.”

Another other issue discussed on Tuesday revolved around a hurricane makeup day. At least one teacher that spoke at this meeting expressed their displeasure with taking away a teacher's workday. That measure passed 3-2.