An enormous wage raise, among the greatest in Central Florida, is on the horizon for Lake County’s educators. Compensation for teachers in Lake County was settled through negotiations between the Lake County Education Association and Lake County Schools.
According to Lake County Schools, they settled on a plan to pay teachers a starting salary of $48,500 and annual hikes of up to $4,625. The agreed-upon raise was made with the goal of alleviating teacher shortages. Under the revised performance package, teachers who are rated as “Highly Effective” would be eligible for a $4,625 pay raise.
Teachers with “Highly Effective” ratings in Lake County Schools who were hired on an older salary scale will receive a $3,700 raise, according to the district. Educators who were hired before the salary raise were given a $2,312 bonus if they received an “Effective” evaluation.
Lake County Schools has reached an agreement with Lake County Education Association to give current teachers raises of up to $4,625 — a historic high — and to boost starting pay for teachers up to $48,500. Learn more: https://t.co/ak1qGcFFmL pic.twitter.com/dLjZEDCo5U
— Lake County Schools (@lakeschools) July 7, 2022
In a statement, Lake County Superintendent Diane Kornegay emphasized the importance of letting teachers know how much they are appreciated. As the saying goes, “You earned that raise.” If you are still working for Lake County Schools as of September 15th, you will get a retention incentive of $1,000 and a pay increase of at least 3% when the school board approves and ratifies the plan.
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Insurance premiums for the 2022-23 academic year will not go up for employees either. When teachers return to the classroom in September, they will have the opportunity to vote on the proposal. LCEA President Kathy Smith stated in a statement, “Reaching a tentative deal before the school year begins is unprecedented for Lake County, especially considering we opened, discussed, and renegotiated almost 50 percent of the contract.”
“Our experienced instructors will receive substantial performance compensation in addition to a base salary beyond the desired state minimum, in compliance with the 20+ laws from legislators. This raise will be important in retaining the highly qualified veterans who are the backbone of our educational system.
While more work has to be done, we believe this agreement will move us in the direction of providing the high-quality public education that our students and teachers deserve “said Smith in an official statement. Starting salaries for teachers in Lake County Schools are expected to increase from $45,725 to $48,500, exceeding Gov. Ron DeSantis’s goal of $47,500 for districts.
