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Brevard Public Schools, teachers' union strike agreement on salary raises

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Officials with Brevard Public Schools and the teachers' union have come to an agreement on teacher raises and longevity pay after months of negotiations.

The side were back at the bargaining table Monday for the negotiations before coming to a deal on Tuesday.

The district's offer Tuesday included:

  • $2,000 for the 4,149 teachers who were rated "highly effective" in 2018-2019.
  • $1,500 for the 314 teachers rated "effective."
  • An additional $1,200 recurring supplement for 2,416 veteran teachers with 12 or more years experience with BPS.

The negotiations Monday had a far different tone than the last session less than two weeks ago when the teachers' union canceled negotiations, saying the offer from the district was "disrespectful" to teachers.

The teachers' union was asking for an extra $2,000 pay hike for teachers starting in their 12th year instead of the district's offer of $900. The sides agreed to $1,200.

"That's the biggest raise, percentage-wise and dollar-wise of all the school districts in Central Florida. Everybody wanted to have the most competitive raise in Central Florida. It looks like they're gonna get close to doing that," said Matt Reed, the assistant superintendent for Brevard County Schools.

"We got a victory," said Anthony Colucci, the president of the Brevard Federation of Teachers. "We got the dignity that our teachers deserve that was the goal going in for the proposal."

Among the additional terms are more bereavement leave and compensatory time for teachers who work at schools that serve as hurricane shelters if that work eliminates planning time. ​

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