Duval County public school teachers will soon be able to earn pay raises based on student performance. The county reached a salary agreement yesterday with the Duval Teachers United union.
The Duval County School District says it’s among the first in Florida to come to an agreement in compliance with a new state law tying teachers’ pay to student achievement. The tentatively approved contract says, starting next year, teachers hired later than mid-2009 will be switched to the new salary schedule.
Teachers hired earlier than that will have the option to switch or remain on the old schedule, which gives pay increases based only on seniority. Also beginning next year, starting salaries for all teachers will bump up to 39,000, and additional raises are available for teachers in shortage areas like math, science and special education.
The contract is pending final approval by the teachers' union and school board, but leaders of both are already calling it a success.
