It has been one week since the Osceola County Education Association (OCEA) proposed an 8.7% Cost of Living Adjustment for teachers in Osceola County. Since then, over 2,000 of you have signed our petition in support and we have attracted media attention! THANK YOU!

So, what happens next?

The School District of Osceola County (SDOC) will officially respond to our request at the next bargaining session on November 17th. IF they accept our proposal, teachers will see the pay increase on November 30th. In order to make this happen, we need EVERYONE on board to show that this IS how we want our taxpayer dollars to be spent. 

There are MANY ways to continue to direct SDOC to follow through! 

1. Communicate with Superintendent Pace and other district leaders directly. (Their emails and a sample email template are provided at the end of this letter.)
2. Wear #RedforEd on Tuesday, November 1st. 
3. Attend the SDOC School Board Meeting at 5:30 on November 1st at 5:30pm at Bill Beck Blvd, Kissimmee, FL. 
4. Sign up to volunteer to collect signatures in Osceola County! Email emily.gorentz@gmail.com 
5. Follow OCEA on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more updates and information.  
6. Keep sharing our petition! Our true strength comes from our unity and collective voice! Anyone is welcome to sign! 

Thank you again for all that you are doing to support educators! 

Sample Email Template: 

Dear ____, 

I am writing today in support of OCEA’s proposed 8.7% cost of living increase for all teachers. As a _____(teacher/staff member/parent/community member)____, I support this increase because I know how much our hard-working teachers deserve it! With costs rising across Osceola, our educators are struggling to keep up. 

We all know that teachers spend their own money on supplies and treats for students throughout the entire year. As grocery prices rise, so does the amount that teachers have to put back into their classroom. On top of this, teachers are paying more for gas, utilities, rent, and all of the other basic necessities. It is unthinkable for their salaries not to keep pace with this demand. 

SDOC has a $1.8 Billion budget, the superintendent makes over $200,000 AND collects a bonus each year, BUT for teachers with 16 years of experience or less, the pay is just $48,500. 

We CANNOT continue like this. 

Teacher vacancies are at an all-time high. SDOC lost over 100 educators in the first nine weeks of the school year. There are currently 230+ vacant teaching positions. There are literally hundreds of kids who are not getting the education they deserve because teachers are over worked, under paid, and no longer able to afford to continue. 

We know these problems aren’t unique to Osceola. But the solution can be. 

With an 8.7% cost of living increase, we will set the standard for fair teacher treatment and truly change the face of education. We can bring hope and energy back to the ones who have given this for so long! 

Please support this increase. This IS how we want our taxpayer dollars to be spent! 

Superintendent: debra.pace@osceolaschools.net
Chief Negotiator: John.Boyd@osceolaschools.net
School Board Member: Terry.Castillo@osceolaschools.net
School Board Member: Julius.Melendez@osceolaschools.net
School Board Member: Jon.Arguello@osceolaschools.net
School Board Member: Clarence.Thacker@osceolaschools.net
School Board Member: Robert.Bass@osceolaschools.net