7.23.26 Bargaining Update

CTA and the District met for their third bargaining session and made progress on several contract language items.

➡️Tentative Agreements Reached:

• Cleaned up outdated language in Article XXI – Save Harmless

• Clarified bargaining timelines and dates in Article IV – Negotiations

• Added CPI (Crisis Prevention Intervention) training to the list of trainings that will be provided by the District at no cost to employees in Article VI – Teaching Conditions

💲TSIA / Classroom Teacher Salary Increase Allocation Discussion

The majority of today's session focused on the Classroom Teacher Salary Increase Allocation, commonly known as TSIA.

CTA wants members to understand that the restrictions surrounding these funds are not being created by Columbia County School District and NOT being negotiated by CTA. The limitations are being imposed by the Florida Legislature through HB 5001E. Under HB 5001E, school districts must use 1.06% of their Base FEFP funding to provide salary increases to:

• Full-time classroom teachers (teachers who instruct students in a classroom setting Full-time)

• Certified Pre-K teachers funded through FEFP

• Employees who have at least 10 years of full-time teaching experience in a Florida public school

The law further limits these increases to a maximum of $3,000 per eligible employee. We did not receive enough funds to reach the maximum. As a result, many instructional employees who have historically been included in salary allocation discussions may not qualify under the state's requirements. The inequities and exclusions being created by this funding model are the direct result of legislative mandates contained in HB 5001E. CTA has made it clear that educators should not be divided by a state-created system that picks winners and losers among public education employees.

CTA will continue fighting for compensation that values and respects all educators! We refuse to accept policies that create divisions among employees, and we remain committed to holding lawmakers accountable for mandates that undermine fairness in educator pay.