Pembroke Pines charter teacher salaries to start at $53,500 under new agreement
Pembroke Pines charter school teachers will have a starting salary of $53,500 under a new contract between the city and the Broward Teachers Union, a bargaining agreement that also ties raises to performances and sets aside money for athletics, arts and academic clubs.
The contract, presented to the union during meetings on Nov. 18 and Nov. 24, outlines how the city plans to fund and retain teachers at its charter schools, in a city that runs the largest municipally-operated charter system in the state.
The City Commission unanimously passed the agreement at its Dec. 11 meeting.
Under the new agreement, teachers’ pay is structured to reward both new hires and longtime school staff. Starting salaries will now begin at $53,500, with a maximum cap at $84,518. On top of base pay, the city is offering “referendum supplements” to retain experienced teachers.
Mayor Angelo Castillo, speaking at Wednesday’s City Commission meeting, said this agreement marks a milestone for the city’s effort to support educators.
“Pembroke Pines Charter Schools has the distinction now with this passage, of having the third highest starting teacher salary in the state of Florida,” Castillo said. “That is a distinction that we should be very, very proud of because it’s something we’ve worked very, very hard to do.”
The previous barganing agreement that covered school years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 had teachers earning a starting salary of $47,500, which was later raised to $49,000 in an addendum.
According to the agreement, a new hire receives $600, a teacher with 10 years of experience gets $7,830, and those with 25 years or more could receive an extra $15,050 annually.
Raises are not automatic and are instead linked to performance. Teachers are evaluated using the Marzano Focused Teacher Evaluation Model, which measures classroom instruction and student scores.
Those teachers rated “Highly Effective” will earn a $2,688 raise, while “Effective” teachers receive $2,016. Teachers rated “Needs Improvement” or “Unsatisfactory” will not receive raises. Those who were hired before July 2014 and have not reached the maximum salary are granted a flat increase of $2,150, according to the agreement.
The contract also invests in student life through stipends for employees overseeing extracurricular programs. Here are some stipend examples:
- High school athletic directors: $6,286
- Head football coach: $4,253
- Head coaches for baseball, soccer, softball, track, wrestling and cheerleading: $3,036
- Band directors: $2,761
- Sponsors of student government, newspaper and yearbook: $1,579
- Sponsors of debate, academic game teams and National Honor Society: $1,185
The next City Commission meeting is scheduled for the new year on Jan. 7 at 6:30 p.m.
