ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The pay dispute between the Orange County Public Schools district and the teachers union is still being hashed out and a special meeting will continue on Friday afternoon.
What You Need To Know
- The special impasse hearing will continue on Friday afternoon
- The Orange County School Board will hear arguments from both the school district and teachers union to resolve a dispute over pay during continued impasse hearing
- RELATED: Orange County Teachers Union battles with school district over pay raises in impasse hearing
- Scroll down to watch the meeting live at 3:30 p.m.
The special impasse hearing that started Wednesday is expected to pick back up on Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
The district is offering a $25 a year cost-of-living adjustment raise, along with thousands of dollars in bonuses.
However, the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association union and many educators teachers say they would rather have greater pay raises.
On Wednesday, the Orange County School Board heard arguments from both the school district and teachers union to resolve a dispute over pay during an impasse hearing.
Orange County middle school teacher Clinton McCracken spoke during the hearing, saying he has seen more teachers he knows leave the teaching profession now than ever before in his 20 years in education after being fed up with working conditions and low pay during the pandemic.
“Several friends of mine who’ve left this year for other opportunities, other careers where the pay is much better and the appreciation is much more,” McCracken said.
With more COVID infections at schools resulting in hundreds of teachers calling out sick after winter break, Wendy Doromal, president of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association union, said during Wednesday’s hearing that the problem with covering all classes will only get worse.
“We expect to see more and more absences and some schools that will probably have to close because there aren’t enough subs, there aren’t enough teachers,” Doromal said.
According to the school district, its offer would give teachers between $3,525 to $6,675 in salary supplement, bonus and salary increase for the 2021-2022 school year depending on years of service and performance evaluation.
But the majority of that comes from bonuses.
Lawyers for both sides are presenting cases right now and Spectrum News 13 will update you as soon as the school board reaches a decision.
Watch the meeting live here