Alachua County Education Association representatives addressed the Alachua County School Board Tuesday concerning a lack of negotiations on faculty contracts.
ACEA President Carmen Ward said the state of negotiations was “not good” and that despite attempts since February, no definite contract terms have been reached. Ward singled out two issues: early release Wednesdays and raise increases of 1.6%, which were initially expected to be 5%.
Despite early release Wednesday’s being favored by the union delegation, she said there was a tentative agreement for monthly early releases to prevent a deadlock with the district bargaining team.
“However, after that tentative agreement was signed, the team continued to this day of only bringing 1.6%,” she said. “Even though we conceded, the board team continued to behave as if we were at an impasse and did not negotiate in good faith from that point forward.”
Ward said the ACEA has compromised to pay increases of 3.4% but has still had no success in creating a new contract.
Lorraine Sills, a special education teacher in Alachua County, said paraprofessionals and ESPs should be given the support they need, advocating for 3.4% teacher raise increases for teachers.
“I've been faced now with the reality that I am no longer able to afford my home, and I am selling my home,” she said. “I give my heart, my soul, to this job. I stay late every single day. I get a half an hour to eat alone. The rest of the time I'm with my students, and that's okay because I love my students… we do it out of love.”
Sills’ former coworkers have resorted to moving out of state for a livable wage, causing her to lose friends to UF and private industry, she said.
“All I ask is that you consider, please, what we're faced with,” she said. “I'm a real person selling my home because I can't afford it on what you are paying me anymore.”
ACEA Service Unit Director Crystal Tessmann advocated for raised substitute supplements for Educational Support Professionals (ESPs), a school staff member who can be a substitute teacher during a shortage without delegating to a member of general administration.
Since 2001, Florida ESPs have received a daily $25 supplement in addition to their hourly rate when substituting, which could be divided if they’re not needed as a substitute for the entire day.
Tessmann said the district is profiting “off of the exploitation of some of their lowest paid employees.”
“Our ESPs know their students and their schools better than any sub ever could,” she said. “We are lucky to have them. I could argue that they should make more than a sub.”
During public comment, teachers and ESPs discussed their financial struggles following the district’s refusal to provide raises over 1.6%.
Kathy Sutton, a paraprofessional at Fort Clarke Middle School, said a 3.4% raise is imperative to keep up with inflation rates.
“I don't even make $17 an hour,” she said. “We're living in a society now where other professionals and other people are making a ton of money, and we're [teachers] going lower and lower and lower on the totem pole.”
COVID sick pay coverage would also be beneficial, she said.
Additionally, June 16 marks the first day of a Marjorie K Rawlings Elementary year-round schooling pilot program approved in May.
Community members also expressed concern about the superintendent’s proposed grading scale changes as a part of the Student Progression plan, which would mandate students receive a minimum of half credit on all assignments. The plan was motioned with the exception of any grading scale changes and passed unanimously.
The next Alachua County School Board will meet again Aug 6.
Contact Morgan Vanderlaan at mvanderlaan@alligator.org. Follow her on X @morgvande.
Morgan Vanderlaan is a second year Political Science major and the Fall 2024 Politics Enterprise Reporter. When she's not on the clock she can be found writing, reciting, and watching theatre!
