- December 15, 2025
The state objected to a provision that prevented any teacher from being deemed ‘unsatisfactory.’
At the end of a six-hour meeting Monday, March 12, the teachers union and district bargaining teams agreed upon performance-pay standards, which are scheduled to go before the School Board for final approval March 20.
The teams initially agreed to a contract in September, along with a memorandum of understanding in November stating that no teacher could be given an “unsatisfactory” mark in this year’s inaugural Race to the Top merit-based pay model.
But the Florida Department of Education deemed the provision out of line with state standards.
The revised provision now reads: “No teacher will receive less than ‘needs improvement,’ except … and unless, such rating is the direct result of a teacher failing to successfully complete a teacher success plan.”
This means that any teacher in danger of receiving low marks will be notified early on, given goals to meet, time to meet them and the aid of administrators to improve. If the goals set in the success plan are still not met, then — and only then — can a teacher be deemed unsatisfactory.
Flagler County Educators Association President Katie Hanson said the new language has crossed the desk of School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin who “felt good about it” passing through the state.
The new agreement helped resolve some tension between the district and union that arose in a Feb. 21 meeting. In that meeting, the School Board approved the contract but without the “no-unsatisfactory” provision the union had bargained for. Hanson spoke out, calling the move “a breach of good-faith bargaining.”
The board then voted March 6 to reject the entire contract and send the teams back to the bargaining table.
Superintendent Janet Valentine said: “We don’t want any teacher to get an unsatisfactory because of the tool. And we’re not seeing that (so far). … But folks don’t feel too comfortable.”
“We’re in a holding pattern,” Hanson said. “A state of limbo.” Until the contracts are completed, she said, reviews cannot be completed.
“(The evaluation model) needs to be consistent districtwide,” she added. “Everyone has to be held to the same expectations.” The teachers union will vote to ratify the new language Friday, March 15.
“It was a little bit of give and take … and it was very tense at times,” Hanson said of the bargaining session. “But it finally all worked itself out. … I just hope that it has been a learning process for all parties, and that moving forward the board realizes that the decision they made to bifurcate the contract was not the right decision.”
Negotiations for the next teacher contract will begin April 10.
