May 24, 2021
The 2020-2021 DTU/DCSB Teacher Collective Bargaining outcomes were impacted by many funding restrictions placed upon it by the Florida Legislature. The monies allotted by the Legislature for salaries were disproportionately directed at establishing a new beginning salary and bringing those teachers below that identified salary up to meet the new amount. No one can deny that Florida needed to increase the beginning teacher salary in order to be competitive in attracting new teachers. With that said, no one can deny that there is also a need to retain existing experienced teachers.
During the 20-21 bargaining session, DTU distributed the state allocated funds as required. Through negotiations, the legislative funding allowed the new beginning salary for teachers to be raised from $39,500 to $45,891. Most teachers impacted by the new beginning salary (new teachers and those whose salary was under $45,891) received salary increases of $3,000 to $6,000 in order to raise salaries to the new salary level and get at least a 3% increase as mandated. While beginning salaries needed to be increased as Florida salaries continue to lag behind the rest of the country, the salary increases were not equitable across the salary schedules. Because of this mandate, Duval’s more experienced teachers received only their yearly negotiated increases of $500 – $2,000 as available through existing district funding. The current legislature has now declared its intent to further raise and fund the 2021-2022 beginning salaries to $47,500. This will provide an additional increase of $1,500 to the beginning salary. The Legislature will, again leave many veteran teachers behind as they will receive very little of the 2021-2022 salary pot of money.
Before the close of the 2020-2021 collective bargaining negotiations, therefore, the DCSB agreed to come back to the bargaining table to discuss the possibility of providing additional funds to veteran teachers on both the Performance Pay and Grandfather Schedules if they made less than a $3,000 increase for the 2020-2021 school year. The purpose of re-addressing salaries was to provide some equity with respect to raises already received. Negotiations were subsequently begun in good faith. The School Board offered to provide non-recurring supplements for those teachers who made less than a $3,000 increase to augment the negotiated increases already received for 2020-2021. The School Board stated that the rationale for non-recurring supplements was that they did not want to establish a precedent of re-opening a settled contract (20-21) to place more money on an already ratified salary schedule. The following chart identifies the number of teachers and how much each group received in raises this year (20-21).
Range of Teacher Salary Increases Already Received for 2020-2021
| Pay Increase | Grandfather Schedule | Performance Pay Schedule |
| $6,000 + | 1 | 1,181 |
| $5,000 + | 0 | 389 |
| $4,000+ | 0 | 442 |
| $3,000 + | 5 | 381 |
| $2,000 + | 669 | 1,322 |
| $1,000+ | 1,464 | 1,059 |
| $500 + | 731 | 141 |
2020-2021 Supplement Tentative Agreement:
(Remember: This Tentative Agreement addresses 2020-2021 inequities.)
Employees in the DTU Teacher Bargaining Unit whose increase was less than $3,000 from the 2019-2020 school year will receive a one-time supplement* in the amount of $1,500 for the 2020-2021 school year.
Job Share Employees in the DTU Teacher Bargaining Unit whose increase was less than $1,500 from the 2019-2020 school year will receive a one-time supplement in the amount of $750 for the 2020-2021 school year.
Employees hired on or after July 1, 2020 are not eligible for this supplement.
EMPLOYEES MUST BE EMPLOYED IN A POSITION WITHIN THE TEACHER BARGAINING UNIT WITH THE DISTRICT AT THE TIME THE SUPPLEMENT IS PAID.
If Board approved by June 9, 2021, the supplement can be tentatively scheduled for payment June 30, 2021.
*A supplement provides additional money in teachers’ pockets without being placed on the salary schedule. It is not recurring money but counts as salary for 2020-2021 for retirement. Normal tax rates will be applied to the supplement as will a 18.59% deduction for retirement.
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The Ratification Process:
Tentative Agreement U.S. Mail Packet:
The Tentative Agreement must be ratified by the Teacher Unit in order to be disbursed. DTU mailed a synopsis of the Ratification Packet to all Teacher Unit employees via the U.S. mail. The packet must be sent to all teachers, even though it does not apply to all teachers.
Enclosed in the U.S. MAILING is a ratification ballot. TEACHER EMPLOYEES MUST COMPLETE THE BALLOT INDICATING WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL AGREE TO THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE IMPLEMENTED. The ballot may be mailed or taken, in person, to the DTU office. If you don’t receive a ballot, you must come in person to the DTU office (1601 Atlantic Blvd.) to pick up a ballot. A picture ID will be required to receive the ballot.
THE COMPLETED BALLOT IS TO BE RECEIVED AT THE DTU OFFICE BY JUNE 1, 2021 AT 12:00 NOON.
Tentative Agreement Email Packet:
DTU has sent an email to the DCSB email addresses of all Teacher Unit employees in order to present the Tentative Agreement. The economic package tentatively agreed to, is included in the email. The email process does not include a ballot or opportunity to vote on the Tentative Agreement. That is done through the U.S. mail process already explained. Please read the entire email agreement before completing your ballot.
Ballots will be counted at the DTU office on June 1, 2021 at 12:30 pm.
If and when ratified (approved) by a majority of Teacher Unit ballots, the Tentative Agreement must be approved by the Duval County School Board. A special called DCSB meeting will be scheduled for June 9, 2021 to vote on the settlement. Failure to ratify will result in a return to the bargaining table.