At The Table – 9.30.24
Settlement Reached
The negotiating team is pleased to announce we have reached a tentative agreement on a successor agreement with AACPS!
We want to thank you for your support and patience throughout this contract cycle. The team prioritized communication, student discipline / safety and a more collaborative FAC structure to give unit I employees a bigger voice in working conditions in schools.
While this process took longer than we would have liked, the conversations with AACPS on these issues were very productive and we know that Dr. Bedell and the Board are committed to a more collaborative and productive relationship. We look forward to working with them on implementing changes in planning time, FAC, communication and student discipline. We know committees do not always seem like the immediate solution we need, however, getting commitments on these issues is important and having the space to get it right with input and participation from unit I employees is a breakthrough in collaboration between AACPS and TAAAC. We look forward to making these positive changes and we will report on our progress as it happens. We will get to work on these issues as soon as the ratification process is over along with getting to work on our wage and wild card reopeners. Our mutually stated goal with AACPS is to get contract negotiations concluded by April in each negotiation year going forward.
We have scheduled a virtual ratification meeting on Monday October 7th at 6pm to go over what is in the new contract and answer any questions you may have. We will also be conducting a ratification vote the week of October 7th (October 7th – October 14th) so if ratified, we can get on the agenda at the October 16th BOE meeting for a vote. The BOE will only ratify the contract after we have so this would be the first possible meeting for this to occur. You will receive a separate email with your member ID number and instructions on how to vote. Please use this link to join:
(https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYucu6oqD0qE9M3YnsUjht5CHAbLuc7pmDr)
We will be sending out documents this week for you to review but for now we want to report what will be in the agreement:
- 3% COLA retroactive to July 1, 2024, and step advancement for those eligible
- Increase in insurance premium beginning in January of 2025 along with increases in co-pays
- Committee consisting of AACPS and TAAAC members to look at planning time now and in the future to comply with blueprint mandates
- Contract language aligning report cards and IEP progress report timelines. This is to have central office send out IEP progress reports with report cards. Currently this is the responsibility of faculty members
- Committee to look at pay structure for career and technical employees
- 5 telework days for 12-month employees
- Committee to collaborate with implementation of Blueprint mandates
- Committee to evaluate FAC structure and effectiveness. FAC will be restructured based on recommendations from this committee
- Enhanced communication from central office to unit I employees
- Resumption of the safe and orderly committee to address student discipline and safety
- Compensation for summer hearings / court cases
- Implementation of Career Ladder beginning on July 1, 2025. For those who qualify, it will mean a $10k salary enhancement for obtaining your NBC with further salary enhancements for each re-certification, which occur every 5 years. The recertifications are worth $8k for the first, $7k for the second and $6k for the third with $500 salary enhancements each year along with COLA. (in depth presentations coming soon)
- Implementation of middle school sports program with new coaching positions
- Click here to see the middle school coaching salary scale
- Unit 1 employees who assist with athletic events will receive $50 for Monday – Thursday events and $55 for Friday and Saturday events
- Mandatory teacher orientation for new employees
- 2 wild card re-openers for next contract cycle in addition to COLA negotiations
In addition to the above, AACPS has agreed to withdraw the following proposals
- Reduce SLO requirements from two to one. We had countered to add the option for a second SLO, but AACPS was not agreeable, so we left it at two.
- Changing date to require 3 interviews for vacant positions from July 15thto June 15th
We look forward to seeing you on October 7th and if you have questions or would like to discuss the contract (or any issue) please contact Scott Soares, executive director of TAAAC either by email ([email protected]) or phone (667.646.7002) who is always available to talk to anyone on the phone or in person.
Thank you again for your support.
The Bargaining Team
