School District of Manatee County increases teacher pay

The starting salary for School District of Manatee County teachers has increased to $55,177.

The School Board of Manatee County unanimously approved a contract Sept. 13 between the district and the Manatee Education Association that raises starting pay from $52,910. 

The new starting pay consists of a base salary of $48,586 and a $6,591 supplement through the 1-mill property tax referendum, which was renewed in 2021. 

The new contract also raises the minimum hourly pay to $15 per hour for paraprofessionals and teacher aides. The previous minimum hourly pay was $13.34. 

All teachers will receive a $150 cost of living adjustment, and supplemental pay will increase for 2% plus supplements, which were increased by $1,181 to $6,591. 

"During this time when all school districts are struggling to recruit and retain the highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals our students need and deserve, this is a significant step forward for our school district," said Cynthia Saunders, the superintendent of the School District of Manatee County, in a news release. "I want to thank the bargaining teams for the district and the MEA, the school board for its approval of a new contract and our community for its continued support of our students and schools."

MEA President Pat Barber said in a news release that "this is the earliest agreement Manatee has reached in many years."

"Changes in Florida statute and the way teachers' salaries are funded make it more difficult to reach agreement, but both teams worked to find the best possible agreement under those conditions," Barber said. 

All salary increases are retroactive to July 1.