Volusia schools, teachers union reach impasse over salary negotiations

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — After five unsuccessful bargaining sessions over salary increases, the Volusia School District and the teachers’ union have reached an impasse.

Teachers, represented by the Volusia United Educators, have requested a 4% raise, but the district has countered with an offer of a 1.5% raise, supplemented by an additional 0.5% from state funding.

Elizabeth Albert, president of Volusia United Educators, expressed concerns that not all teachers would qualify for the state funding, particularly those with less than two years of experience.

Albert highlighted that the distribution formula for the state funding means that the additional 0.5% would not equate to a full 2% raise for most teachers.The district, in a statement on its website, emphasized its commitment to finding an equitable solution for employees while managing financial constraints due to declining enrollment and a $20 million funding loss over the past two years.

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