Bargaining Update 070926

The bargaining teams from the Manatee Education Association (MEA) and the School District (the District) meet on Thursday, July 9th to begin negotiations for teacher and paraprofessional contracts for ’26-’27.

The members of MEA’s bargaining team were Pat Barber, Valerie Finnegan, Julie Kerber, Helen King, Brian Kirchberg, Mitcheal Pearl, Bruce Proud, Jon Syre, Evelyn Townsley and Mercedes Wildman.

The members of the District’s team were Christina Britton, Willie Clark, Silvana Ianinska, Derek Jensen, Gina Maliniak, Mark West and Rachel Sellars.

The session began with Rachel Sellars giving the teams an overview of the budget review she presented to the School Board on June 23rd.  She outlined ’26-’27 Legislative changes. She also explained the mandated programs in the Base FEFP funding. She said that the Tentative Budget would be presented to the School Board on July 28th.

Mark West, the District’s chief negotiator opened by saying that the focus from the Legislature is on the Teacher Salary Increase Allocation and for the first time parameters have been given to spend the money on a certain group of teachers. According to the District’s team the group consists of teachers who fall under the definition in FL Statute 1012.01 Definitions (2) (a) and who have at least ten years of full-time teaching experience in a Florida public school.

The District’s team present data showing that 955 teachers would qualify for raises under the “first time parameters” and 1,706 teachers would be excluded. The proposal was to divide the TSIA allocation of $2,593,845 by the number of teachers who qualified (955). This would give each qualifying teacher an increase of $2,221.91 after salary related costs are subtracted.

MEA’s chief negotiator Bruce Proud asked about negotiating for the paras and the other 2/3rds of the teacher bargaining unit. He expressed concern that the District’s only focus was on the TSIA money and not trying to reach agreement for all employees.

Mark West stated that the District only wanted to discuss the TSIA money and future dates for negotiations.