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Teachers and union leaders press Polk board for higher pay as contract talks continue
Summary
Union president Stephanie Yocom and multiple speakers urged the Polk County School Board to prioritize salary increases, fund local millage and work with the legislative delegation to address teacher pay; several teachers described financial hardship and the district's recruitment/retention challenges.
Speakers during the Feb. 25 public-comment portion urged the Polk County School Board to take immediate steps to raise teacher pay and to support a local funding mechanism, as union and district contract talks continued.
Stephanie Yocom, president of the Polk Education Association, which the union says represents about 9,000 employees, told the board it was "on the eve of negotiating" and urged members to put more money on the table. "We need more money on the table," she said, adding…
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