One of the most notable proposals discussed was the introduction of paid parental leave for teachers. The proposed plan would grant eligible employees up to six weeks of paid parental leave at 100% of their regular base pay for each birth, adoption, or placement event. Emphasizing inclusivity, the proposal ensured that all eligible parents, regardless of gender or family structure, would receive this leave. The plan highlighted that this leave would run concurrently with federal or state family and medical leave entitlements without affecting an employee’s sick or personal leave. Additionally, employees would retain all benefits during their leave and be guaranteed reinstatement to their previous position. A non-discrimination clause was included to protect employees from any form of retaliation for taking this leave. Discussions reflected that over half of the members viewed it as an issue, with about 40% rating it as urgent.

In parallel to the parental leave discussion, the revision of teacher salary supplements was also a focal point. The board noted that Palm Beach County’s compensation for advanced degrees was not competitive compared to neighboring counties. For instance, the county offers a $6,000 supplement for a doctorate, while other counties provide up to $8,000. To address this disparity, the board proposed increasing the supplements for advanced degrees and National Board Certification, acknowledging that the latter had not been updated in over two decades despite significant costs associated with certification and renewal.

Another proposal was the establishment of a new supplement for 504 coordinators, recognizing the demanding nature of managing 504 plans, particularly in schools with many such plans. The proposed compensation was set at $2,000 annually, acknowledging the workload’s impact on coordinators’ other responsibilities. Similarly, a $2,000 annual supplement was proposed for speech language pathology assistant supervisors, addressing the additional supervisory workload that detracts from their primary duties.

The meeting also addressed the need for a general increase in teacher supplements. A proposal called for a total increase of 10% over two years. Additionally, there was a call to reassess compensation for teachers taking on extra instructional periods. The current rate of $30 per period was considered inadequate, especially given the starting salary of $53,000 for first-year teachers. The proposal suggested aligning compensation for additional periods with the minimum teacher salary to ensure fair compensation reflective of the teachers’ workload.

Meanwhile, the conversation on the district’s staffing and enrollment situation revealed a low vacancy rate of 1.3% but a significant enrollment decline of approximately 5,500 students, far exceeding initial projections. This decline was partially attributed to the rapid growth of the family empowerment scholarship program, affecting charter school enrollments. Financial implications were discussed, highlighting that the loss of revenue from lower enrollment outweighed the reduction in operational costs, which remain largely fixed.

Proposed changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement were also discussed, specifically clarifying language to align with workers’ compensation laws. Suggestions included changing terminology from “assault” to “battery” to ensure legal compliance and requiring police reports in battery cases.

Additionally, employee conditions were a topic of discussion, with proposals to extend the voluntary transfer period for teachers and increase discounts on before and after-school childcare for employees’ children. A proposal to schedule the first day after winter break as a teacher workday was also considered to provide teachers adequate preparation time.