Hillsborough County School Board Votes To Increase Teacher Pay: New Salary Agreement And Reactions

TAMPA, FL – In a recent development, the Hillsborough County School Board has voted in favor of pay raises for teachers and support staff. This decision follows a tentative contract agreement reached between the district and the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association last month. Here are the key details:

Quick Resolution

This agreement is notably one of the quickest settlements reached in recent years. In the 2022-2023 school year, a contract agreement was not reached until May, and in previous years, negotiations extended past the holiday break.

Financial Breakdown

The approved package, valued at roughly $45 million, includes over $40 million in recurring expenses, primarily allocated to increasing teacher salaries. Additionally, there’s approximately $5 million designated for one-time payments.

Teacher Salary Structure

Under this proposed agreement, the salary structure for teachers has been updated as follows:

• First-year teachers will start at $47,500.
• Salary will increase gradually and cap out at $72,490 after 25 years. This is an improvement from the previous cap of $68,000 after 23 years.

Step System

The agreement also outlines that teachers will advance a year or progress on the so-called “step system.” In recent years, the district had explored offering pay supplements instead of traditional step progression to manage the operating budget more effectively.

Salary Decompression

Additionally, the proposed agreement aims to decompress the salaries for teachers in their first seven years. This change is intended to address the issue of minimal pay increases during the initial years of a teacher’s career in Hillsborough County.

Future Considerations

In an October meeting, the school board considered a referendum to raise property taxes in support of teacher pay, but they decided to postpone this action until 2024. The school board’s chairperson, Nadia Combs, emphasized the importance of wisely allocating funds to benefit both teachers and students and ensuring the financial efficiency of the district.

Rob Kriete, president of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association, expressed his satisfaction with the progress made, emphasizing the need to further support and attract talented educators.

This decision reflects a positive step in acknowledging the hard work of teachers and support staff in Hillsborough County and ensuring they are compensated fairly for their dedication to education.

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