The Board of Education of Frederick County (Board) has reached a tentative agreement for the 2022-2023 school year with the Frederick County Association of School Support Employees (FASSE), the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA) and the Frederick County Administrative and Supervisory Association (FCASA), through collective bargaining with each employee unit.
This marks the first time in several negotiating cycles in which all three bargaining units have concluded nearly simultaneously.
“This year, staff across FCPS has continued providing exceptional instruction and services for all students,” Board President Brad Young said. “The Board is extremely proud of our employees. Our partnerships with the three bargaining units have helped FCPS and the community overcome many challenges, including those brought about by the pandemic. Collaborative, transparent discussions have helped us reach agreements that reflect our appreciation for the work of all staff, and the Board looks forward to the collective work ahead of us.”
Highlights of the agreements include the following:
FASSE
- A restructured salary schedule to include an average increase of 7.14%
- A pull-out schedule for Technology Services Support Employees
- 5.5% health insurance premium increase, effective July 1, 2022
- New Salary Language – regarding parity
- Work Schedule – reduce the number of work calendars
- Tuition Reimbursement – creation of a subcommittee to make recommendations to the current reimbursement language
- Instructional Assistant and Special Education Instructional Assistant used as Substitute Teachers - stipend of $80 for substituting 3 hours or more a day and creation of a subcommittee to review stipend language
- Continuation of established subcommittees (school-based secretaries and transportation) and their purposes
FCTA
- 7.14% salary resource pool (a step which on average equals 2.14%, if eligible, and 5% COLA)
- Pilot language for an additional eighty minutes of planning time per month for elementary and middle school teachers
- 5.5% health insurance premium increase, effective July 1, 2022
- Determination of eligibility for a $10,000 salary enhancement for National Board Certification (NBC) in accordance with the Blueprint for Maryland's Future
- Increase in the salary enhancement for teachers who hold an approved non-NBC national certification (From $2,000 to $3,000 during the 2022-2023 school year and from $3,000 to $5,000 during the 2023-2024 school year)
- Directed professional development for non-tenured educators with less than three years of teaching experience
FCASA
- 7.14% salary resource pool (applied to all salary scales)
- Addition of Sick Leave Bank
- 5.5% health insurance premium increase, effective July 1, 2022
- Creation of Salary Study Work Group with a focus on recruitment and retention
- Increase in number of annual leave cash-in opportunities (From eight days to nine days during the 2023-2024 school year and from nine days to ten days during the 2025-2026 school year)
- Creation of a Work/Life Balance Work Group
- Increase in reimbursement for educational expenses
- Implementation of administrative mentoring and coaching
“Discussions regarding support employee working conditions, salaries, and benefits were at the heart of our engagement,” FASSE President Sharon Eburg said. “As a result, we have reached a tentative agreement that is fair and a step in the right direction. FASSE is pleased to have completed a collaborative and successful round of negotiations with FCPS.”
FCTA President, Missy Dirks reflected, “This was a hard year for educators in FCPS and around the country. There are significant challenges facing public education. Recruitment and retention and the working conditions of our members are always at the forefront for FCTA in negotiations. We worked together with FCPS to reach a tentative agreement that makes progress on salary, elementary and middle school planning time, and to start to address implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Law. We will continue to work with FCPS to address salary, Blueprint implementation, and other working conditions next year.”
FCASA President Dr. Danny Rumpf shared a similar sentiment regarding negotiations with the Board. “FCASA appreciates the Board’s willingness to collaborate with us over these past couple of months,” he said. “We feel the Board respected our input during these negotiations and feel we have made some steps in the right direction. We look forward to continuing these conversations in the future.”
In addition to negotiated agreement improvements for the three collective bargaining units, the Board has worked throughout the year on compensation and better working conditions for all employees. In January, the Board signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the three bargaining units to provide COVID-19 leave to employees who were unable to work or telework based upon a COVID diagnosis. Additionally, in February, the Board signed a MOU to provide a one-time $1,300 retention incentive to employees who are active through the end of this school year. Further, the Board voted to increase starting salaries to $15.00 an hour for benefitted and non-benefitted personnel, provide health benefits to previously non-benefited special education and classroom instructional assistants, provide funding to hire additional staff such as lunchroom and recess monitors, and reduce employee workload by limiting some professional learning.
“Our ultimate goal has been to improve salaries and benefits for all employees,” Board President Brad Young said. “This year, our focus has been on addressing staff workload and morale. Taking action, instead of just talking, is one of the key ways we show our appreciation for all the work done by each member of the FCPS team.”
FASSE, FCASA, and FCTA have submitted their respective tentative agreement to members for ratification, and if approved, the Board will ratify the three agreements during its June 8, 2022 meeting.