Pinellas school board approves staff pay increases funded largely by recent referendum
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Summary
The Pinellas County School Board unanimously approved negotiated raises for support professionals, police, technical supervisory staff and administrators, with average increases ranging from about 5% to nearly 13% and one-time payments; officials said the referendum made the raises possible.
The Pinellas County School Board on Dec. 16 approved a package of negotiated pay increases for multiple employee groups, saying voter-approved referendum dollars were central to the deals.
Chief Human Resources Officer Michael Vigu presented the agreements for four employee groups. For the Pinellas Educational Support Professionals Association (PESPA), he said, “Included in the agenda item is an average of 12.74% or $3,487 salary increase,” plus an additional 1% increase retroactive to July 1, 2025 and an MOU providing a $300 nonrecurring payment split across two pay dates. Health-plan changes are set to take effect Jan. 1, 2026, and the district will cover certain licensing fees through June 30, 2027.
Vigu said the Fraternal Order of Police tentative agreement, ratified Nov. 20, includes an average 7.34% increase (about $3,754), a 1% retroactive increase to July 1, 2025 applied beginning Jan. 16, 2026, the same $300 nonrecurring payment and health-plan changes effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Professional technical supervisory (PTS) staff will receive an average 5.05% increase (approximately $4,036) inclusive of the referendum plus a 1% retroactive adjustment applied Jan. 23, 2026; employees continuously in the same pay grade since December 2024 are eligible for that increase. Administrators will receive a $3,210 salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2025, applied to pay beginning Jan. 23, 2026, with eligibility tied to continuous service in the same pay grade.
Board member Missus Hine framed the raises as a direct result of the referendum, saying the increases are “only possible because the citizens of Pinellas County passed overwhelmingly our referendum in the last election.” Several board members thanked staff and negotiators for their work.
All salary items (agenda items 8.1–8.4) were approved by the board by unanimous voice vote, recorded as 7–0.
What happens next: contract language and payroll adjustments will be implemented according to the timelines described by the district; health-plan changes begin Jan. 1, 2026, and retroactive pay adjustments are scheduled for mid-to-late January 2026.