All in all, it was a very successful session!

I encourage you all to come to negotiations and observe the process. I will tell you, the climate in the room is not at all like the past three years. It is pleasant and productive.

We started with MOUs (Memoranda of Understanding). MOUs have an end date and will not be embedded into the contract beyond the end date.

•  Covid Sick leave - District agreed to extend Covid sick leave!!!  They have the funding source. Teachers will be afforded ten (10) days, retroactive to August 2^nd, for days used for quarantine or isolation for the employee, child, spouse or any relative living in the household. District originally allotted 350K dollars and tonight expanded it to $500K. Employee will be credited days back to their sick leave bank and will have 30 days from ratification to apply for the credit. Verification of need for quarantine or isolation from the health department will be required. The complete MOU will be posted on the MCEA website when we get a digital copy. Please hold your questions on this.
• Interim Continuity of Learning Plan for COVID-Related Absences - If a teacher is present but one or more of his/her enrolled students are quarantined at home due to COVID-19, the teacher shall provide access to live classroom instruction through the use of video and audio via Zoom. This is NOT, in any way shape or form, the platform we used last year. The teacher will only have to have the Zoom on when instruction is taking place so that the student(s) may hear the instruction/lecture.
• Disaster Relief Payment - Subject to approval from the FLDOE, for the specific use of allocated funds provided through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER II) funds, the MCSD shall pay eligible bargaining unit members a one-time, non-recurring payment of $1000 (gross, prior to taxes). In order to be eligible for this payout, a bargaining unit member must have been employed at least half of the 2020-21 school year plus one day and have been employed as of January 4, 2021. The employee must have been re-employed and actively employed at the time of payment. The employee must not be on an Unpaid Leave of Absence during the pay period associated with the payment; any person on such unpaid leave at the time of payment shall receive the payout upon that person’s return to work. Those employees who have already received the funding from the Governor or State of Florida are not eligible. Payment of these funds shall be paid out upon approval from the FLDOE and ratification of this MOU.

ALL MOUs are pending ratification.

MCEA re-openers of the contract:

XI.1 Sick Leave:

* The District rejected the MCEA proposal to expand sick leave payout to those MBUs (members of bargaining unit) hired after July 1, 2011.

* The District was amenable to the MCEA proposal allowing qualifying employees (see XI.I H) to receive terminal sick leave payout upon retirement or resignation. Employee must retire or resign at the end of a semester and give prior by the following dates: By November 1^st in order to retire or resign on December 31^st of that year, or by May 1^st in order to retire or resign on June 30^th of that year. The Superintendent may waive these requirements.

* The District agreed to MCEA language regarding Compassionate leave- employees may donate regardless of the number of days they personally used in a given year as long as they have a balance of at least thirty (30) days.

VIII - Evaluations

Talks are ongoing regarding the rotation of evaluators and the MBUs right to change evaluators after a cycle. The MCEA also proposed that the site Administration must present an evaluation schedule prior to the end of the school year and that teacher could change evaluator, upon written request, also prior to the end of the school year.

VIII.K.6 - FTE - At the last session, District proposed to strike language regarding the ability of teacher to drop students from calculation due to excessive absences. MCEA provided rationale for having this flexibility. Discussion will continue next session.

District re-openers:

• VI.4 Covering classes - In session four (4), District proposed to allow for combining of classes when a substitute is not available. MCEA rejected the language in session five (5). Today we had a constructive conversation. We will discuss again during session eight (8).
• VI.5 In session four (4), District proposed to strike all language regarding Faculty Council. In session five (5), MCEA countered with language which we felt was more applicable to the intent of a Faculty Council and with a broader scope. District rejected our language and countered with new Faculty Council language. There is definitely much compromise going on here and the (antiquated) language is getting better for both parties.
• VI.6 In-service points - MCEA wants to ensure that MBUs get their PD points credited in a timely manner. District recognizes that there has been a problem with procedures regarding PD points. They have already begun to streamline the process. There will be continued discussion at the next session.
• VII.I Transfers, Reduction and Recall - District proposed many changes in this article. Much of it was clean-up as there was much ambiguity. The goal is to clean up the language and provide consistency. The MCEA Bargaining Team needs to review this proposal before I can even report on its content.

• The cells do NOT represent years of service. Pay for Performance has influenced the actual cell that you are on.
• We will be sending out the new salary schedule once printed

• Salary will be retroactive to current employees. Employees on FMLA will receive the payout upon return

• Health insurance adjustment to change part time status to 30 hours with pro-rated insurance
• Continue with 26 paycheck system

• The MCEA and Martin County School District (MCSD) have agreed to extending the Covid Relief days (FFCRA), as well as to a mirror of the Millage agreement in place. So that teachers may utilize Covid days, we agreed that we would put these two items out for ratification as soon as possible. The same rules will apply as in the original language by the Federal Government. It is important to note that if teachers already exhausted their days, they will not be afforded additional days. If a teacher used half, for example, they have half left. The District has set aside $185k for this fund. Once exhausted, we will revisit the situation. This will be retroactive to January 1st, 2021
• Teachers who resigned from employment with MCSD between March 15th 2020 and November 30th 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, shall be entitled to the following if they become re-employed in same or similar position by School District on or before August 3 2021
• Accrued sick leave earned prior to the termination which remains unused. To qualify for any subsequent terminal pay for sick leave, the employee must retire or resign at the end of the school year and give ninety(90) days notice.
• If re-employed by the District, the time period between the day of resignation and the employee’s return to service will not be considered as a break in service for purposes of regular pay or accrual of leave, meaning that the employee will be returned to the employee’s last base salary prior to the resignation. * Per Florida statute, the teacher would lose their PSC status, if they held it prior to resignation.
• District accepted our language regarding evaluations and remote learning with minor language clean-up. (This language was posted in a previous communication)
• The District rejected our language regarding cameras in the classroom. However, the MOU expires at the end of the 2020-2021 school year and we have contract language already embedded in our collective bargaining agreement.

• District’s last proposal, in January, reduced the compression of the steps so that teachers on step zero (0) would not be making the same as a teacher on step 1 through steps fourteen(14). Money was added to each step to avoid the compression. The District also used money from the general fund to bring non-classroom teachers, e.g. guidance, coaches, deans, etc. up to the same salary as their classroom teacher colleagues. This was certainly a step in the right direction. However, 54% of the teachers, above step fourteen (14) would only be receiving a $700 increase. District proposed a three year deal with no further increases to salary schedule. (This proposal did not take into account possible negotiated performance raises, which at this time, is an unknown).
• The MCEA on Thursday, proposed an $1800 increase to all teachers who did not receive the Governor’s money or did not receive at least $1800. The MCSD expressed extreme disappointment with MCEA’s proposal, saying it was “a slap in the face” to the District. We expressed that a mere $700 to veteran teachers was the real slap in the face.

• The MCSD presented language to continue Covid days with same criteria and procedures of the previous mandate. This agreement would be for MCEA members as well as ASFCME(blue/white collar). The District proposed to have a fund of $185K for use for both bargaining units for members who have not used days or have days remaining. This is a good proposal. The MCEA tentatively agreed to this. It needs to go to the AFSCME unit before we formally agree.
• The MCEA presented our proposal for the Millage stipends. The only change made was for those teachers who retire at the end of the school year. They would be paid out at the end of the school year,rather than September 1st. This change is prudent as it will save money in penalty fees as retirees need to have their calculations up to date when they retire.
• The MCEA cleaned up language with our Safe Schools re-opening proposals. We added language that would allow teachers, who had to resign or retire prematurely due to Covid, to collect their sick leave payout even though they may not have met the contractual deadlines.
• The District presented a new salary schedule. In order to avoid total compression(all teachers years 0-14 making same salary) the District evened out base amount to $44,900 and added $100 to separate steps. Raises varied based on years of experience, with those making less getting more of a percentage raise. The District would be contributing $1,216,827 from their general fund. Non- classroom teachers would receive the same raises as classroom teachers. This is a step in the right direction. The spreadsheets are quite extensive. Our team and the FEA Bargaining Specialist and Regional Specialist need to anayize the numbers.

• a. The MCEA requests a weekly update of ALL cases (by school site) going back to August 7th, 2020. Moving forward, this is a rolling request and numbers should be provided/updated every Monday.
• b. Employees who have had to resign or take leave due to COVID shall be offered a position and be permitted to return to District when it is safe to return to school with no break in service. The placement shall be in the previous school when available or if the teacher in the position is on interim status.
• c. Due to the unsafe conditions, especially for those teachers with underlying conditions, high risk factors or teachers who are caring for family members with underlying conditions or  high risk factors, the Superintendent shall grant waivers under article XI.1 H. 3, for all teachers finding it necessary, for health reasons, to retire early.  

• a. Teachers who apply for any leave shall be sent the necessary paperwork and have it processed within five (5) days.
• b. Due to COVID, The Board and the Association mutually agree to waive the conditions herein and grant personal leave without pay to bargaining unit members for one (1) year without loss of status.

• a. In no circumstances will video recordings of teachers be made or used as part of an evaluation without the advance knowledge and written consent of MCEA and the employee.
• b. Students that record a teacher without their knowledge or permission may be subject to discipline according to the District's disciplinary plan and in accordance with state and federal law.
• c. Observation of a teacher’s remote class by parents, shall be allowed only after consent of the building principal and 24 hours’ notice, unless the teacher otherwise agrees to less notice. Each observation time shall be no longer than one (1) hour unless agreed upon in advance between the parent(s) and teacher per article V.5 of the collective bargaining agreement.
• d. If video cameras are to be utilized in classrooms to provide live or recorded instruction, all the following shall apply:

1. The data shall not be recorded or stored by the District unless agreed to by the teacher.
2. The District will ensure student and personal privacy including, but not limited to, FERPA and public records laws.
3. Teachers are to be held harmless for any malfunction of said equipment provided the malfunction was not caused by negligence.
4. Teachers are to be held harmless for any remote student behaviors that are streamed to the entire classroom.
5. Teachers shall utilize one of the District approved and provided digital programs, including but not limited to, Zoom.
6. As these cameras were utilized due to a temporary emergency, they must be removed when it is no longer necessary for lessons to be provided live due to COVID-19 or with the expiration of this MOU, whichever occurs first.   

• a. Administrative visits to remote learning classes are not for the purposes of evaluations.
• b. The evaluation process will be conducted in person when possible.