Home » Home » Brevard Federation of Teachers and School Board Agree to 6.5 Percent Raise for Teachers

Brevard Federation of Teachers and School Board Agree to 6.5 Percent Raise for Teachers

By  //  October 30, 2019

Brevard Public Schools teachers voted 3,273-65 in favor of ratifying the district’s contract

The Brevard County School Board voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve a contract for teachers that includes significant raises and improved work conditions in 2019-2020.

BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – The Brevard County School Board voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve a contract for teachers that includes significant raises and improved work conditions in 2019-2020.

Earlier, Brevard Public Schools teachers had voted 3,273-65 in favor of ratifying the district’s contract with the Brevard Federation of Teachers — a 98 percent margin of approval. About 69 percent of employees covered by the BFT contract cast ballots in the election last week.

“We have not seen such a positive response to a contract in a decade,” BFT President Anthony Colucci told the school board at its meeting in Viera.

Said School Board Chair Tina Descovich, “It’s a raise I’m proud of and can stand behind. It doesn’t solve all our problems. But it’s a step in the right direction.”

Said School Board Chair Tina Descovich, “It’s a raise I’m proud of and can stand behind. It doesn’t solve all our problems. But it’s a step in the right direction.”

The contract for this school year includes the following pay raises:

  • $2,000 for the 4,149 teachers rated “highly effective” in 2018-2019. That equates to a 4.1 percent raise for a teacher earning the average BPS salary of $48,634.
  • $1,500 for the 314 teachers rated “effective” – a 3 percent raise, on average.
  • An additional $1,200 pay raise for 2,416 teachers with 12 or more years’ experience with BPS.

The biggest winners will be the nearly half of all BPS teachers who are rated “highly effective” and who also have worked for BPS for 12 years or longer.

Their total raise would average about 6.5 percent — the biggest percentage increase among Central Florida school districts this year.

CENTRAL FLORIDA HUMANITARIAN: Matt Susin Safeguarding, Promoting Wellbeing of Brevard StudentsRelated Story:
CENTRAL FLORIDA HUMANITARIAN: Matt Susin Safeguarding, Promoting Wellbeing of Brevard Students

Improved work conditions include early dismissal for teachers to prep for hurricanes; more bereavement leave following the death of a family member; and an additional $835 raise for exceptional education support specialists and support facilitators.

Meanwhile, BPS continues negotiations with its second public-employee union, Local 1010 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.

Local 1010 negotiates on behalf of about 3,100 support-staff employees such as clerks, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and instructional assistants.