Mainstreet Daily News
Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) and the Alachua County Education Association reached a salary package deal worth more than $10.5 million, the largest in ACPS history.
As part of the package, all employees will receive a pay bump like the one received at the beginning of the school year, teachers rated effective or highly effective will receive an additional increase, all employees who worked during the first semester will earn a $1,250 bonus, and teachers with 10 years or more of experience will receive a $1,000 bonus.
Another $1,000 exists for employees who were a part of training on youth mental health and online security.
“I appreciate the great work of everyone involved in the negotiations,” ACPS Superintendent Dr. Carlee Simon said in a statement. “We were all committed to getting our hardworking employees the significant pay increases they deserved and getting those dollars out to them quickly as possible.”
This package doubles the last one, a $4.5 million deal approved in the 2019-20 fiscal year.
An ACPS press release said the school district plans to deposit the bonuses in the March 15 paycheck for each employee—in time for the district’s spring break that starts March 21.
However, the School Board of Alachua County must still approve the package, which is on the agenda for the board’s March 1 meeting.
The Alachua County Education Association (ACEA) will also have members vote on the package in the coming days.
“We are pleased that we are going to get some [Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief] relief funds into the pockets of employees and are honored to be part of this historically large bonus and salary package,” Carmen Ward, ACEA president, said in the statement. “The district made us an offer we couldn’t refuse.”
ACPS still sits under the potential of losing $2 million in state funding because of its mask policy last year.