The Alachua County Education Association (ACEA) recently accepted a $5 million offer from Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) for salary increases for non-instructional, or Education Support Professionals (ESP), and instructional staff. 

The offer was accepted during a joint salary negotiation meeting held on Sept. 18 inside the District Office boardroom.  

After a back-and-forth discussion between both parties, the ACEA eventually presented a $5.2 million counterproposal to the school district. The district then countered with its own offer of $5 million, which the union accepted.  

Once the counteroffer from the school district was accepted by the ACEA, representatives from both sides immediately applauded. 

In an email reply to Mainstreet, ACEA President Carmen Ward called the deal “good news for ACPS employees.” 

“We are definitely experiencing a greater level of respect and collaboration at the bargaining table so far, and it is our hope that we continue to make progress for all employees that serve the students of Alachua County Public Schools,” she wrote. 

Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Deborah Terry echoed Ward’s comment. 

“I appreciate us working together and being collaborative,” she said. “I want employees to know that we respect you all and that we appreciate you all. That is our bottom line. And that’s what this is all about.” 

While an offer has been accepted, representatives from the school district and the union will reconvene at their next salary negotiation meeting to discuss how the funds will be distributed, Ward said. That meeting is slated for Thursday, Sept. 25. 

“Even if we agree to a salary tentative agreement, we will proceed to modify our contract language with reopeners in both the education support professional contract and the instructional contract,” Ward wrote in the email. 

Ward said she estimates that both parties will be able to ratify all tentative agreements “possibly by the end of October or the beginning of November.”  

Both parties have expressed their desire to get negotiations done quickly this year after what could be described as a long, contentious 2024-25 bargaining season. 

After negotiating teacher salaries for more than a year, with the ACEA even declaring an impasse in talks, representatives from the union and district ultimately reached an agreement on a 1.3% raise for teachers in April.  

The School Board of Alachua County (SBAC) voted to ratify the 1.3% raise less than 10 days later. 

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.   

Editor’s note: This story was updated with comments from Carmen Ward.