Manatee County School Board Approves Raises, Bonuses For Teachers, Operational Staff

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — The Manatee County School Board unanimously approved for the district’s employees, both teachers and operational staff, at its Tuesday board meeting.

Board members approved agreements with the Manatee Education Association, which represents teachers and paraprofessionals in the district, as well as the custodians, bus drivers, food service workers and other employees represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The agreement with MEA was ratified by teachers and paraprofessionals on Friday. Its approved terms are contingent on continued HB641 funding by annual state legislative action, the school district said in a news release.

The new agreement increases the base salary for Manatee County teachers to $47,500 annually and also offers pay retroactive increases for performance-based and grandfathered teachers, the district said.

It also offers a $1,000 retention bonus for all teachers who started working with the district as of Jan. 1, 2021 and are currently still in their role. Eligible paraprofessionals were also offered a 50 cents an hour pay increase for each step of the salary schedule and a $1,000 retention bonus.

The AFSCME agreement also calls for salary increases for transportation, food service, custodial, maintenance and other employees within the district's operations division and a $1,000 retention bonus.

Union members ratified this agreement in January.