- The School Board of Alachua County approved a $5.7 million compensation package with retroactive pay to July 1 for ESPs and instructional staff.
- Educational support professionals received a 3% salary increase above their step increase, while professional employees got a 4% salary-schedule raise.
- The Alachua County Education Association emphasized the need for ESPs to join the union to prevent loss of collective bargaining rights next year.
During a special meeting on Wednesday, the School Board of Alachua County (SBAC) approved and ratified compensation packages, collective bargaining agreement (CBA) language amendments and 2026-27 salary schedules for Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) employees.
In a unanimous vote, the board approved a roughly $5.7 million compensation package, plus fringe benefits, for educational support professionals (ESPs) and instructional personnel, with all pay retroactive to July 1, according to a memorandum included with the board meeting agenda. The SBAC also approved a 4% salary-schedule increase for professional and technical employees and school-based/district administrative personnel, also retroactive to July 1.
According to the memorandum, ESPs, including non-instructional personnel and support staff, will receive a 3% increase on the salary schedule above the step increase they already received.
Raises for instructional employees vary based on several factors, including their Teacher Salary Increase Allocation (TSIA) eligibility, salary scale, evaluation ratings and funding source, according to the memorandum.
During the meeting, board members thanked the bargaining teams for both the district and the Alachua County Education Association (ACEA), the union that represents instructional and ESPs, for their work.
“I know that this took a lot of work on both sides, and it’s always a lot of compromising on both sides to get things done that are priorities for everyone, and you all did an excellent job, and I really appreciate your hard work,” Board Member Sarah Rockwell said.
Board Chair Thomas Vu was appreciative of the work from both sides.
“… I do think we are better off. Our employees are better off. I think they’re going to be treated better. They have more rights, more protections,” he said.
ACEA President Crystal Tessmann attended the meeting and provided Mainstreet with a statement Wednesday evening.
“I was thrilled to hear the Board vote unanimously to approve the raises and tentative agreements that the employees ratified last week after months of work by both teams. Our employees deserve the best we can give them, and so we are excited to have agreed upon a significant raise and the reinstatement of steps for most instructional personnel,” she said. “We will also continue to work towards the best wages and working conditions possible. This was only possible through the collective bargaining process. To have that, we need our union. Our ESP unit is in serious danger of being decertified, and we need every ESP to join as soon as possible to get us over the 60% requirement, or there will be no collective bargaining for ESPs next year.”
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.