In a twist, Hillsborough schools, teachers reach early salary deal
The Hillsborough County teachers union has reached a tentative and unusually early pay agreement with the school district, as the two organizations look ahead to a November tax referendum that could generate more money.
In prior years, negotiations between the district and the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association lasted well into the school year, and sometimes past the winter holidays. It is almost unheard of for the two sides to settle before the school year begins.
The agreement announced Wednesday raises pay and gives teachers credit for the past year towards their salary rates while also protecting the operating budget, which slipped into deficits in years past.
Some of the money will come from a $500 annual raise, plus additional one-time payments of $1,500. Employees at the top of the union scale, whose salaries are ineligible for increases, will receive one-time payments of $2,000.
“This is a significant day for employees in the (union) bargaining unit,” Superintendent Van Ayres said in a statement. “These pay increases are so deserved and I want to make sure our employees recognize how much we care for them and are excited to welcome them back for the 2024-2025 school year.”
The agreement comes as voters are being asked to approve a tax increase of $1 for every $1,000 in assessed property value to support school operating expenses. Most of that money is intended for pay supplements to make the district competitive with Pinellas, Pasco, Orange and other districts that already benefit from these taxes.
The last time there was such a ballot referendum in Hillsborough, in 2022, the union and district were at a bargaining impasse. The 2022 referendum failed narrowly at the polls.
The new pay agreement must be ratified by employees and approved by the school board.
“The School Board, my team, and I have prioritized reaching an agreement with our employee groups well in advance of the school year,” Ayres said. “This underscores our commitment to investing in our employees and enabling them to concentrate on student success when the academic year commences.”
In its statement, the district also noted that teacher pay is low in Florida compared to other states; and that “we must now work as a community to ensure we retain and recruit the best teachers and support staff for our students.”
Said union president Rob Kriete: “This does not bring us in line with surrounding school districts. Our children deserve a world-class education, and we must now all work together to ensure we can continue to have the best teachers and support staff for our students.”
In recent years, Florida has steadily increased starting pay for teachers to roughly $48,000 a year, which is the new rate in Hillsborough. But by sometimes stipulating that new funding must be used to raise starting pay, the state has limited districts and unions in negotiating competitive pay rates for veteran teachers.
State leaders have also accused teachers unions of using their members’ dues to pursue political agendas.
“We’re raising pay in spite of those unions, not because of them,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference last month in Dade County.
In a twist, Hillsborough schools, teachers reach early salary deal (tampabay.com)
Marlene Sokol is an education reporter covering the Hillsborough County public school system. Reach her at msokol@tampabay.com.