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What’s Next in Impasse Over Teacher Pay
By: Matt Reed, BPS News
It could be mid-summer before Brevard Public
Schools and the Brevard Federation of Teachers
finalize a contract for the 2018-2019 school year and educators receive
raises retroactively.
Four months into an impasse declared by the
BFT, both sides met with a special magistrate April 23 to make their cases on
how big a raise the district can afford.
BPS leaders said the district has just enough recurring revenue to pay a $770 raise to teachers rated “highly effective” on annual evaluations, $540 for teachers rated “effective,” and a one-time $1,000 bonus for
all teachers.
BFT leaders said the district could afford bigger raises if it budgets less for reserves.
What’s next? Here’s a breakdown of the full dispute-resolution:
• Following the impasse hearing, written summations were required from each party within two weeks.
• The special magistrate has 15 calendar days from receiving those summations to render a written recommendation. The recommendation could side with BFT, the Superintendent’s recommendation, or something else.
• After the special magistrate issues the recommendation, either party has 20 days to formally reject the recommendation.
• However, if both parties accept the magistrate’s recommendation, the recommended contract
goes to union membership to be ratified. If ratified, the school board would vote whether to approve the contract at a regular public meeting.
• If rejected by either party, the school board must hold a public “special impasse meeting,” with provision for public speakers. At this hearing, each party would get 30-60 minutes to present their position to the school board. By the conclusion of this meeting, the school board must vote whether present a contract settlement
to union members for ratification.
• The proposed contract would be presented to union membership for ratification. If union membership ratifies, the school board would then vote to approve the ratified contract at a regular board meeting. If union membership does not ratify the board proposal, then the school board would vote to “impose” the raise- and-bonus conditions that went to impasse. That step would exclude any tentatively agreed- upon contractual changes to work conditions.
BPS NEWS is a publication of Brevard Public Schools.
Superintendent
Mark Mullins, Ph.D.
School Board Members
Misty Belford, District 1 Cheryl McDougall, District 2 Tina Descovich, District 3 Matthew Susin, District 4 Katye Campbell, District 5
Published by the Division of Government and Community Relations
Assistant Superintendent: Matt Reed Editor: Nicki Hensley
Graphic Designer: Daniel Jankowski
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