Polk School Board Approves Raises for Paraeducator and Educational Support Personnel
The Polk County School Board voted today to approve pay raises for paraeducators and educational support (clerical) personnel.
Polk County Public Schools recently reached a two-year agreement with the Polk Education Association (PEA) union regarding salaries and health care benefits for these two employee groups. The agreement was ratified by PEA members on Monday and approved today by school board members during this morning’s meeting.
The PEA also represents teachers, and negotiations are still underway regarding teacher contracts.
Highlights of the new contracts for paraeducators and educational support personnel include:
- Paraeducators and educational support personnel will receive a minimum 2 percent raise over their current salary level.
- The minimum base salary for paraeducators and educational support personnel will now be $11 an hour.
- For the 2021-2022 school year, eligible employees will advance one salary level.
- Raises are retroactive to July 1, 2021.
- Employees should begin seeing their raises in their paychecks later this month.
- For the 2022-2023 school year, eligible employees will advance one salary level.
The contract also addressed health care coverage for these employees through the school district’s self-funded health plan.
Employees will not incur any additional costs for their coverage under the 2022 Health Plan (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2022).
There is no monthly health insurance premium for an individual employee. As in previous years, there are costs for covering family members; however, the monthly premium costs will not increase in 2022.
Click here to review the complete agreement from today’s meeting agenda.
Employees can request more information by contacting HR at 863-534-0781 (option 2) or [email protected].
The school board previously approved pay raises for bus drivers and attendants; custodial, maintenance and warehouse personnel; and school nutrition assistants. Click here for more information.