School Board Resolved Impasse between District and CTA, but Teachers Deserve More

Earlier this month after listening to more than 14 hours of presentations, testimony and arguments by the union and school district, the Orange County School Board determined the following solution to move forward to the teachers for ratification, ending the impasse.

While the numbers mentioned by OCPS may seem like a lot initially, much of compensation is not a salary increase. Instead it is a one time bonus. Voters, including local parents and teachers, have the ultimate say in Orange County education and the School Board will be held accountable at the end of the day. Some parents are calling on school board members to evaluate the OCPS budget to cut waste and find the money to pay teachers more. School Board Chair Teresa Jacobs’ position and three other Board member positions are up for election this year.

Highlights of the agreed upon recommendations include the following:

• Wages – Teachers will receive a range of compensation from $2,600 – $3,000
  • One-time district supplement of $2,500
  • $100 Cost of Living Adjustment (based on state formula)
  • $200 or $400 based on teacher’s performance rating of “highly effective”, “effective” (based on state formula)

• Longevity supplement – ESSER Grant Three-Year Retention Supplement based on the union’s proposed chart ranging from $500 – $3,000 depending on years of experience for school years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24.

Years of Experience                               Amount
5-9 Years                                                 $500
10-14 Years                                             $1,000
15-19 Years                                             $1,500
20-24 Years                                             $2,000
25-29 Years                                             $2,500
30 + Years                                               $3,000

• Health Insurance Benefits – Keep current healthcare plan through September 2022. In October 2022 the new plan will be effective, which includes no increase to premiums and some increase in deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses based on the plan selected.
• District Nurse Supplement – 5% salary supplement for seven district-level nurses.

The school board determination and any previous agreements between the District and the union will be combined into one document and the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association for distribution to all district teachers for ratification. OCCTA controls the ratification process.

The school board did state that it is committed to continue looking for ways to increase teacher compensation.