BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Instructional staff in Brevard County public schools returned to work Friday with a pay raise following what the district calls a landmark agreement with its teachers union.
Teachers will get a 3.5% raise, with 0.5% allocated for performance-based bonuses, and the starting salary for new teachers will increase to $50,450, according to Brevard Public Schools.
“I want to thank all the negotiating teams members for their hard work and collaboration,” Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell said in a statement.
The school district said in a news release it was pleased to announce the agreement with the Brevard Federation of Teachers union on Thursday, the eve of when teachers report back to school for preplanning ahead of students’ return days later on Aug. 12.
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“We’re excited to start the year with this competitive raise for our teachers that values their contributions to our A school district! BFT thanks the School Board for recognizing our employees despite funding challenges,” Anthony Colucci, BFT president, said in a statement.
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The district’s news release added the impact of the 2022 millage referendum was a signifigant enabler of the deal.
“Coupled with the additional funds made available by the voter approved millage this represents not only an investment in our employees, but also an investment in the future of our community,” Rendell said.
For example, a highly effective 20-year teacher previously earning $60,000 will now see their salary increase to $70,269. This includes an additional $7,849 from the millage table, made only possible by the support of Brevard County voters.
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Additional examples of salary increase include:
•A Highly Effective Teacher previously earning $50,000 will now earn $52,070, including the pay-for-performance bonus.
•An Effective Teacher previously earning $50,000 will now earn $51,990, including the pay-for-performance bonus.
•A Highly Effective Teacher previously earning $60,000 will now earn $62,420, including the pay-for-performance bonus.
•An Effective Teacher previously earning $60,000 will now earn $62,340, including the pay-for-performance bonus.
Brevard Public Schools Salary Agreement with Brevard Federation of Teachers | Aug. 1, 2024 (excerpt)
The latest state budget, signed in June by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, included a $200 million increase to boost teacher pay, bringing the total allocation to $1.25 billion when coupled with past increases.
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