Contract agreement: Brevard Public School teachers set to get nearly 10% pay raise

Brevard Public Schools and the local teacher union came to a contract tentative agreement Wednesday that includes nearly a 10% pay increase.

It still must be ratified by Brevard Federation of Teachers and approved by the school board.

How much more will teachers be paid?

Russell Bruhn, spokesperson for the district, said most teachers will see a pay increase this year of 9.9%: 2.5% of this increase will come from a salary increase, while the rest will come from millage, which was voted on by taxpayers during the 2022 election.

“The increase in compensation that we can provide to our instructional personnel is possible because of the generosity of our community," said Superintendent Mark Rendell in a statement. "We are grateful for the trust and support the community has shown and we will work very hard to provide the best educational outcomes for our students. This is an investment in the future of Brevard County.”

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What other benefits do teachers get?

Teachers will receive a compensation package, which includes health insurance cost increases covered by the school board; supplement payments increasing by 30%; bereavement leave increasing to five days rather than three days; parental leave increasing from 10 days to 15 days; and more.

Anthony Colucci, president of Brevard Federation of Teachers, said the union was pleased with the contract, saying they secured raises and corrected "inequities in (the district's) supplement schedule" with a new supplement for educators providing therapeutic services to students.

"The agreements that we secured for more protected time for our school counselors, social workers, and those providing services to students with disabilities will benefit our students for years to come," he said.

In a statement, board chair Matt Susin said the contract reflects the school board's dedication to instructional staff.

“These are the people teaching our kids each day and we are proud that we have a compensation agreement that supports our Team BPS members," he said.

Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or [email protected]. Twitter: @_finchwalker

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Teachers at Brevard Public Schools set to get nearly 10% pay increase