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District announces tentative teachers'union agreement; union president applauds outcome and criticizes state funding
Summary
Superintendent Michael Hendrick announced a tentative agreement between Pinellas County Schools and the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association; the board heard union praise for the deal and criticism of state school funding during public comment.
The Pinellas County School Board heard a superintendent announcement that the district reached a tentative agreement with the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association (PCTA) after multiple negotiation sessions.
Superintendent Michael Hendrick told the board the district and the PCTA "came to a tentative agreement and concluded negotiations for this year." He said a joint communication to employees would follow and the district will outline timelines for ratification and subsequent board action. Hendrick thanked PCTA President Lee Bryant and district negotiators, naming staff members who participated in the talks.
During public participation, Lee Bryant, president of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association, addressed the board. Bryant said he was "proud" of the bargaining team and thanked the district, but sharply criticized state-level funding for education. "For a state that claims to be third largest economy in the nation, the funding of our public schools is shameful," Bryant said, adding that Florida ranked 50th in average teacher pay and that the state's 0.7% raise for teachers was "insulting." Bryant said local cost-of-living pressures make funding levels insufficient and urged better support for educators.
Another public commenter, Curtis Camponi, spoke about teaching empathy and urged the district to use student-produced social-media content to tell the public-school story; he also proposed tax-credit incentives to support families with students meeting academic thresholds. Camponi noted the board cannot respond during public comment.
Hendrick described the tentative contract as particularly important this budget year and said the district aimed to complete ratification steps before Oct. 1, the deadline tied to teacher salary increase allocations.
No ratification vote occurred at the meeting; Hendrick said the district will distribute details and timelines to staff and bring the agreement to the board for future action.
Votes at a glance from this meeting: agenda adoption (amended) passed 7-0; consent agenda passed 7-0; proclamations (Disability History and Awareness Weeks and National Principals Month) passed 7-0; item 8.1 (set public hearing/advertise Policy 2250 amendment) passed 7-0; item 8.2 ( approve 2025'26 school improvement plans) passed 7-0.
