Teachers union ratifies new contract

The Orange County Classroom Teachers Association and Orange County Public Schools will begin the 2022-23 school year on common ground.

The CTA ratified agreements on compensation and contract language for the year.

The agreements include the following:

Instructional Personnel working during the 2021-22 school year will receive the following increases to base salary:
• $900 Cost-of-living increase for all personnel — regardless of instructional practice score

Based on 2021-22 evaluation ratings:
• Teachers with a summative rating of “Effective” will receive an additional $1,800 salary increase
• Teachers with a summative rating of “Highly Effective” will receive an additional $2,425 salary increase

The starting salary will increase:
• For teachers: from $47,500 to $48,400
• For school psychologists: from $56,250 to $57,150

The Advanced Degree supplement will increase:
• Master’s degree: $3,342 to $3,405
• Specialist degree: $5,127 to $5,224
• Doctoral degree: from $6,760 to $6,888

In addition, teachers ratified an agreement concerning arbitration procedures. 

The 2022-23 school year also will include the implementation of the second year of the retention supplement previously agreed to with the date of distribution to be Jan. 18, 2023. 

“We are so pleased at the ratification vote, as it indicates a recognition of our teachers and instructional staff and the School Board’s commitment to compensate them with funding that is provided,” Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins said. “I also want to congratulate OCCTA and members of the district bargaining team. I believe this is the start of another great year.”

"We are pleased that teachers will receive the salary increase ahead of the school year,” OCCTA President Clinton McCracken said. “Although this is a great step in the right direction, we will continue to work toward the pay that teachers deserve. We want to thank all educators, OCCTA and OCPS bargaining teams and the School Board members for working together during this process."

Click here to read the agreements.