From the Escambia County School District:
On November 15, Escambia County Public Schools, the Escambia Education Association (EEA), and the Union of Escambia Education Staff Professionals reached an agreement to improve salaries for teachers and Ed. Support employees for the 2023-2024 school year.
The agreement commits to a 3% raise for all teachers plus a performance payment and ESE Self Contained supplement. The Ed. Support employees will receive a 1% COLA and eligible employees will receive a step roll (2%) with the exception of the School Bus Operators. The School Bus Operator hourly rate of $16.14 per hour will be improved to $17.61. Other select employee groups will receive pay grade increases and two supplements were also added. Please visit www.escambiaschools.org/laborrelations for specific details.
Furthermore, the School Board and Superintendent extended a $1,000 Recruitment and Retention bonus to be paid in two $500 installments to the employees of both bargaining units. The first of these payments is scheduled to be deposited on the last day of school prior to the Winter Holiday break.
Darzell Warren, EEA President, and Nicole Lindsey, UESP President provided the following statement: “We are thrilled to announce that after extensive negotiations and dedicated efforts, the Escambia Education Association and the Union of Escambia ESP have reached a favorable settlement with Escambia Public Schools. This collaborative achievement is the result of hours of hard work moving to strike a deal that will benefit our dedicated teachers and support staff. While we celebrate this settlement, we acknowledge that there is still much work to be done. Our commitment to excellence and the well-being of our members drives us to continue this collaborative effort. By doing so, we aspire not only to achieve success within our own school district but also to set a standard that other school districts can look to as a model of excellence. We extend our gratitude to all parties involved in the negotiation process and express our appreciation for their unwavering commitment to the betterment of education in Escambia County. Together, we will continue to strive for success and work towards creating a positive and thriving educational environment that benefits both educators and students alike.”
Over the next few weeks, the unions will be advertising and delivering ratification packets and ballots to each work site. “It is important to make all of our employees aware of the ratification process. Union members and non-members should be informed and vote in order to properly request for School Board approval,” stated Caroline Gray, ECPS Chief Negotiator. “At this time, voting will likely take place the week of December 11, and Board Approval will be the following Monday, December 18. This is something we look forward to having accomplished as we move into 2024.”