Schools and Education Manatee Teachers Will Not Suffer Retroactive Paycut

The School Board of Manatee County announced Tuesday that the salary reduction for teachers approved at the recent Impasse Hearing with the Manatee Education Association will not be retroactive to the beginning of the fiscal year which began July 1, 2011 as it was originally announced.

The district issued the following statement on the subject:

(Bradenton, FL – February 28, 2012) The School Board of Manatee County is announcing today that the salary reduction for teachers approved at the Impasse Hearing with the Manatee Education Association on February 15, 2012, will not be retroactive to the beginning of the fiscal year which began July 1, 2011.

The School Board met in Executive Session on Monday night, February 27, 2012, to discuss retroactive salary cuts for teachers. Although the School District believes it is on solid legal ground regarding a retroactive reduction, the Manatee Education Association took a different stance. During the Executive Session, the School Board decided it was not in the best interest of the School District or its employees to become involved in protracted litigation to resolve the legal issues. Therefore, the School Board directed Superintendent Dr. Tim McGonegal to make the salary decrease for teachers effective February 16th.

By not imposing the retroactive cuts, the average teacher salary decrease will be reduced by 30 percent; or approximately $425 for this school year. During the Executive Session Monday, the School Board also directed the Superintendent to bring back a recommendation at a special School Board meeting to ensure all employee groups in the District are treated fairly in light of this decision.

The original budget plan – including salary reductions approved by the Board at a special meeting on July 11, 2011 – provided additional funding to place the School Board’s health insurance fund in the black as of June 30, 2012. Monday’s change in the effective date of the salary reduction for teachers means the health insurance fund will now have an estimated $1.5 million deficit as of June 30, 2012.The School Board’s budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year will need to address this deficit in the health insurance fund.

”The decision by the School Board eliminates uncertainty for our employees and brings this issue to closure,“ Superintendent McGonegal said.