“Every day we support our students and our communities- We are worth more than ZERO” | Clay County, Fla. (October 17, 2025) – The Clay County Education Association (CCEA) has declared an impasse because of a deadlock over fair salaries with the Clay County School District. This comes after months of repeated attempts to negotiate higher salaries for educators were struck down again by the district.

“Clay County educators are fighting every single day to ensure every student in our neighborhood public schools has the resources they need, despite a budget that does not prioritize a fair compensation increase to all educators serving our students” said Vicki Kidwell, President of the Clay County Education Association.

“Our success in Clay County is proof positive of our hard work- we are an A rated district because of the commitment of our educators and their dedication to our students.

Our educators work above and beyond their paid contracts daily and because of what can only be described as ‘F’ graded pay, many must work second and third jobs, while others are leaving for surrounding counties that pay thousands more. Clay County Educators are struggling, and yet this proposal budgets an appalling ZERO increase to over 1,280 educators.”

After months of negotiating, the district returned to the bargaining table with their only compensation offer- $27,241 in local funds to be used for over 2,820 educators.

This equates to less than 0.007% of the district’s yearly revenue in a county facing an inflation rate of 2.9%. The district budget offer provides a $0 increase for 45% of our teachers and less than $18 a year for veteran educators.

Educators in this A-rated district are simply asking for an offer that reflects their worth, something more than zero. Yet they’re told there are no funds for salaries, even as the district finds money for electronic signs, new communication systems, and a $1,457 raise for part-time school board members. How is that fair? What message does this send to the dedicated Clay County educators who keep our schools strong?

Statewide, Florida is ranked 50th in the nation in average teacher salary.  However, surrounding counties have planned and budgeted to prioritize retaining educators with competitive pay, and Clay must be willing to compete. “The math doesn’t add up and at the end of the day, every district makes budgeting choices based on priorities, Clay must choose to prioritize fair compensation to maintain its excellence, stability and safety,” said Vicki Kidwell. “Their unwillingness to negotiate fair salary increases for all instructional personnel harms our students who are relying on all of us to work together to ensure they can succeed.”

CCEA had proposed several options to ensure that teacher salaries were increased while also meeting the essential needs of the district. First, CCEA recommended using millage funds to raise salaries, a move allowed by law since educators are central to both operations and the safety of our students. When the district denied that proposal,

CCEA proposed other funding options available in the published budget. Finally, the CCEA proposed a minimal salary increase using only .58% of Clay County’s fund balance, which is overfunded by nearly 2.7%. The district once again denied the proposal.

While bargaining can continue, (the next session is scheduled for October 28 at 4:30 PM), CCEA’s impasse declaration signals a formal request for an unprejudiced legislative hearing.  By Florida law, the school board will be tasked with making an impartial judgment regarding the proposals from both sides. CCEA is committed to ensuring that the board understands its responsibility to act as a fair and unbiased governing body.

“Declaring impasse reflects our deep concern that the district is not acting in good faith to reach a compromise that meets the needs of our educators,” said Vicki Kidwell. “Our education system is held together by the passion and unpaid labor of dedicated professionals, but caring for our students should not mean sacrificing ourselves or our families. It’s time to prioritize those who make education possible. CCEA will continue to remain the voice for educators and students across our county.”