Palm Beach County teachers likely to see smaller raises than last year. Here’s what to know

The Palm Beach Post | By Katherine Kokal | October 2, 2024

The school board gave the OK to a new contract between the district and the teachers union Wednesday. Now, the contract goes to members for a vote.

After seeing record-high raises fueled by pandemic recovery money in 2023, Palm Beach County teachers will get a smaller bump in salary this year, according to a proposed union contract between the school district and the county’s Classroom Teachers Association.

The annual contract, approved by the school board on Wednesday, includes a raise of 4% for teachers. That’s slightly higher than raises guaranteed by contracts in 2020, 2021 and 2022, but it’s a dip from last year’s raise of 7%.

The actual amount, however, depends on when the teacher’s employment began, how they did on performance evaluations this year and the type of contract they have.

Now the contract goes to union members for their vote.

Once again, CTA President Gordon Longhofer said he wants to push for higher pay raises for local teachers, some of whom he said have to hold second jobs to live in one of the most expensive counties in Florida.

“The last three agreements, which raised teacher salaries by 4% or more, are quite simply not extraordinary achievements,” Longhofer said. “Rather they are necessary steps to recruit and retain teachers in our school system and enable them to live in or near the communities they serve and pay their bills with a single job.”

On Wednesday, the school board also approved raises for non-union administrative staff of 4.1%, including for Superintendent Mike Burke, whose base salary will now be around $371,000. The board also agreed to raise the rates for substitute teachers across the district.

Teacher Emmanuel Cuevas welcomes a student to his class on the first day of school at Grove Park Elementary School on August 12, 2024, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Here’s what to know about annual raises and how they’ll be administered to district employees:

How do this year’s raises compare with years past for Palm Beach County teachers?

In 2020, Palm Beach County teachers negotiated a 3.25% pay increase in their annual contracts. In 2021 and 2022, that figure was 3.5%.

But in 2023, the school district tapped into federal pandemic relief funding to offer a 7% raise and bonuses for teachers of $1,500 or 3% of their salary, whichever value was higher. The school district was required to spend all of its pandemic-era relief funding by Sept. 30, 2024.

This year, the figures appear to be coming back to earth: Teachers who are rated “highly effective” will get the full 4% increase, while teachers rated “effective” at their jobs will get 3% raises to their base salaries.

How much does the average Palm Beach County teacher make in 2024?

If the collective bargaining agreement goes into effect, starting teacher pay will be boosted to $53,000.

Meanwhile, the average Palm Beach County teacher salary is $60,400, according to the school district’s 2024-25 budget.

Last year, the starting salary for teachers was $51,500 and the average salary among all teachers was $57,800, budget documents showed.

Alex Sensat stands with his daughter Avalee, Greenacres, as she receives a new red book bag from kindergarten teacher Khyla Rejas-Benavides during a backpack distribution and meet-the-teacher event at Forest Hill Elementary School on August 7, 2024, an incorporated Palm Beach County, Florida

While Palm Beach County’s average teacher pay is higher than the statewide average, Florida officially dropped to 50th in the country in a ranking of average teacher pay released in April by the National Education Association. The ranking included all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Only West Virginia ranked below Florida’s average educator salary of $53,098.

“Once again, despite a thriving economy, Florida is failing to prioritize the needs of students by not fairly compensating teachers and staff,” Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, said at the time of the report.

He blamed a mentality in the Legislature “that teachers in Florida should just shut up and be quiet.”

How much more will Palm Beach County school leaders make this year?

Administrative staff members who aren’t part of the union, including principals, assistant principals, program coordinators and other district-level staff members, are also in for a raise this year.

The proposal approved by the school board Wednesday, which is separate from the teachers union agreement, provides a 4.1% raise for school administrators and non-bargaining unit staff.

Palm Beach County Superintendent, Mike Burke, right, and School Culture Coordinate, Andrea McIntyre, right, share a laugh with teacher Dr. Mattie Shannon on the first day of school at Grove Park Elementary School on August 12, 2024, in Palm Beach County, Florida

Also impacted by that raise is Burke, who will see an increase of about $14,600 to his $357,000 salary.

In his annual evaluation last month, Burke, a 26-year employee of the district, received a total average score of 5 out of 5. Out of 35 individual grades by board members, he received only one “4,” signifying he was “highly effective” instead of “excellent.”

New pay rates for substitute teachers in Palm Beach County

The school board also approved the first raises in hourly rates for substitutes since 2022. The changes range from increases of 45 cents an hour up to $2.59 an hour.

The pay rates will go into effect Oct. 5 and are based on the level of education obtained by the substitute teacher:

• High school diploma: $15.50 per hour (previously $15)
• High school diploma and up to 59 college credits: $15.75 per hour (previously $15.15 to $15.30)
• Associate’s degree: $16.50 per hour (previously $15.61)
• Bachelor’s degree: $18 per hour (previously $16.89)
• Retired teacher: $20 per hour (previously $17.41)