Broward teachers to learn this week about next year's compensation
FORT LAUDERDALE - This week, Broward County public school teachers will learn where negotiations stand on their compensation for next year.
Tuesday, the school board will meet in closed session with union negotiators and Thursday both sides will reveal publicly where things stand.
"The question is what it is we can afford to offer teachers in terms of pay and compensation," said School Board member Allen Zeman.
On Monday, Zeman shared with CBS Miami his proposal for what he would like to see teachers attain for compensation.
Zeman outlined his idea with a starting point of approximately $12,000 on average more for teachers in total compensation.
The compensation is made up of the district-provided health insurance costs, state funding, the taxpayer-supported voter referendum money, and what the school board provides from available funds.
"We've got to do this. Teacher pay is just too important."
Zeman says he still believes it's possible following this v pattern to get teachers up to the optimal level of $100,000 total compensation by the year 2025.
Zeman says the district contributions to the total compensation package can be found by looking at not filling all open positions. He says there won't be layoffs but a measure of belt-tightening.
Last week teachers flooded the school board begging for fair compensation.
Cooper City Middle School teacher Mary Carr said she and other teachers are struggling with the rapidly rising costs of food, utilities, housing and insurance in South Florida.
"If inflation is going up why aren't our salaries," she asked.
School Board Vice Chair Debbi Hixon says she sees the dilemma from both sides. A classroom teacher for 32 years, Hixon understands what it's like to feel at the mercy of the school board.
But now that she's in a position of having to make decisions about how the available funds should be spent, Hixon realizes the decisions aren't easy.
"I'd love to give ten or twenty percent. I just wish it was available," she said.
Board Member Torey Alston says while he supports teachers and staff with the district losing students and reserve funds shrinking.
"We are close to a fiscal emergency and we have to be fiscally responsible," he said.