Pinellas County teachers union rejects latest starting pay offer from school district

As teachers struggle with the area’s rising cost of living, the union leaders representing them want to know the amount the Pinellas County School District is spending on classroom software, and whether there's money that could instead be going to retain teachers.

The request came amid ongoing salary negotiations between the Pinellas County Teachers Association and the district. On Tuesday, the district proposed paying starting teachers more than $50,000 a year for the first time. One proposal went even further, offering $52,000, but the teachers' union rejected the offer amid concerns that it would come at the expense of long-time teachers who might not see their pay increasing.

According to district officials on Wednesday, the proposed minimum salary, just over $50,000, is based on state law. However, that law contains a formula that sets how much of a raise a new teacher can get compared with raises for more senior educators.

"We have put this proposal together with the intention of paying our employees as much as possible, while also remaining fiscally responsible with the funds provided to us by the taxpayers of Pinellas County as well as federal funds," PCS associate superintendent for human resources Paula Texel said during the bargaining session on Tuesday. 

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But Pinellas County Teachers Association president Nancy Velardi said the proposal wouldn't work.

The Pinellas County Teachers Association has been trying to negotiate raises across the board. It initially asked for average raises of 11.3%. The district offered 3.25% before bumping the offer to 4%. The district says that with other benefits it's offering, the true value of the increases ranges from 6.2% to 7.4%.

No date has been set for the next salary bargaining session between the teacher's union and the district.