Asosyasyon Edikasyon Polk

See information on the negotiations throughout this school year below:

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PEA first met with the employer in July of 2024.  At that time, the district was unwilling to discuss salaries but presented their expectation of being able to offer $20 million to the PEA groups for wages, inclusive of the $6 million provided by the state specifically and only available for teacher raises, with the possibility of a little more, depending on their fiscal closeout.

 

PEA’s first proposal included full decompression of the teacher salary schedule, and further, though still partial, decompression of the ESP and Para salary schedules, in addition to 30 consecutive minutes of lunch time allotted to all three contracts, 2 possible TDAs for all instructional personnel throughout the year, and educational credit supplements for ESPs, for a package total of roughly $47 million.

 

The employer accepted the educational supplements for ESPs, rejected the salary proposal and TDAs, and began discussing the options for 30 minute lunches, noting this would not be able to be accomplished before the next year (25-26 SY).

 

When the employer finally presented a salary proposal, it was for $20 million total which would equate, according to their figures, to a roughly 4% raise for every employee and include NO further decompression at all (meaning that all employees would stay at their current levels; ex. a teacher who has been teaching for 3 years makes the same as those only teaching for 1 and a Para/ESP with 10 years of experience makes the same as one with only 1 year).

 

PEA rejected this proposal citing their large fund balance and their need to prioritize staff salaries when creating their budget moving forward, acknowledging that without a millage in place, the PEA proposal would, within 2 years, bring their fund balance below the board set minimum of 5%.

 

The employer rejected the PEA proposal citing the large disparity between their offer of $20 million and our proposal of $47 million.

 

  The PEA bargaining team created a new package proposal, coming to a middle ground of roughly $35 million in raises (which would still include the decompression), and a guarantee of the 30 minute lunches, ALL early release days being converted to teacher planning time, and the millage referendum being placed on the ballot by the board which would guarantee future funding sources and help alleviate some of the annual battles for fair pay in Polk.  

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The next bargaining session was scheduled for December 11th, where we expected a response from the employer.  However, thanks to YOU, your almost 2000 emails, and those of you who shared their stories at the school board meeting, the board directed the employer to postpone and look for more money.  We were set to meet again on Wednesday, January 22nd, BUT the district postponed again.  A full two months later, we finally met again on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025.

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The bargaining session started with a 25-minute lecture from the employer on how our schools are made up of many positions that all work together for the team, how many amazing things are happening all across the district, and how valuable we all are, while simultaneously chastising us for not just accepting the 4%.  Yes, great things are happening, many of them because of the almost 70% of their employees that PEA represents--that's you! Yes, our time is valuable, so stop lecturing us and start paying us!  And let's work as a team to better prioritize their budget, STARTING with staff salaries.  

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Their response to the PEA package proposal presented in November? REJECTED!

The employer insists that despite a fund balance of 10.3% (double the PCPS School Board policy and more than 7% above the state required minimum) which equates to roughly $55.6 million, they were unable to produce even 1 additional dollar--they "just don't have it to spend."

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PEA contends that WE KNOW their fund balance is filled with non-recurring funds but that is NOT the point!  They need to produce a budget that STARTS with paying their valuable employees, then figure out the rest.  And knowing that their funding from the top is flawed, they MUST put a millage referendum on the ballot to help ensure future funding.  They said this was "not in the scope of bargaining" so basically, not our decision to make.

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One bright spot was a tentative agreement for 30-minute duty free lunches for teachers and paraeducators, starting in the 26/27 school year.  

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To see the entire bargaining session for yourself, watch via YouTube (sorry, the internet cut off, so it is in two parts):

• https://www.youtube.com/live/uXLc6e-QxZc?si=Qlqv-7w-MclciAiY

• https://www.youtube.com/live/4ruHYrVl7U0?si=rhCeu3cwb27Y19qK

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PEA and PCPS will come back to the table again on Wednesday, February 26th at 5 pm meeting at the Jim Miles Professional Development Center.

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