Palm Beach County Teachers Union Criticizes Timing of Pay Raise Vote

School board to decide on teacher pay raises during a meeting when teachers are at work.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 9:05am

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A vibrant, high-contrast silkscreen print featuring a repeating grid of a teacher's desk with an apple, coffee mug, and stack of papers, conceptually representing the ongoing struggle for fair compensation in the education sector.The Palm Beach County teachers' fight for higher pay raises has become a symbolic battle over the value placed on public education.Palm Beach Today

The Palm Beach County School Board is set to make a final decision on teacher pay raises during a meeting on May 6 at 2 p.m., a time when teachers are unable to attend. The head of the teachers union, Gordan Longhofer, has criticized the district for scheduling the meeting during the workday, saying teachers feel 'silenced' and prevented from being present for the 'most consequential decision' in the pay raise negotiations.

Why it matters

The dispute over teacher pay raises has been ongoing between the school district and the teachers union. The union had initially sought a 4.8% raise, while the district offered 1.5% plus a one-time bonus. A special magistrate recommended a 3.5% raise, but the district rejected that recommendation, putting the final decision before the school board. The timing of the meeting has angered teachers who feel their voices are not being heard on a decision that directly impacts them.

The details

The Palm Beach County School District and the teachers' union have been negotiating a new three-year contract, with raises playing a major role. After the union declared an impasse in the pay raise negotiations, the issue was put before a special magistrate. The magistrate rejected both the union's push for a 4.8% raise and the district's offer of a 1.5% raise with a one-time bonus of 1.5%, and instead recommended a 3.5% raise. However, the district rejected that recommendation, putting the final decision before the school board.

  • The school board is holding its regular meeting on Wednesday, April 15, at 5 p.m., and teachers are expected to show up en masse to urge board members to offer a raise of at least 3.5%.
  • The school board will make the final decision on whether or how much of a raise teachers receive during a special meeting scheduled for May 6 at 2 p.m.

The players

Gordan Longhofer

President of the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association.

Palm Beach County School District

The school district that is negotiating a new three-year contract with the teachers' union, including pay raises.

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What they’re saying

“Quite honestly, I'm appalled that a meeting is scheduled to take place when teachers must be at work. Teachers feel that the superintendent has turned his back on them by rejecting the neutral special magistrate's recommended decision. Now, on top of that, it seems he wants to silence them at the final hearing, not to mention prevent them from being present when the school board considers its most consequential decision in this entire process.”

— Gordan Longhofer, President, Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association

“Accepting the special magistrate's recommendation would result in 250 employees losing their jobs and students losing support programs due to the recurring cost added to the budget.”

— Sean Cooley, Chief of Communications, Palm Beach County School District

What’s next

The school board will make the final decision on teacher pay raises during the special meeting on May 6 at 2 p.m. District staff and representatives of the teachers union will make presentations before the board members make their decision.

The takeaway

This dispute over teacher pay raises highlights the ongoing tensions between the school district and its teachers. The timing of the final decision meeting, when teachers are unable to attend, has further angered the union and teachers who feel their voices are not being heard on a matter that directly impacts them. The outcome of this decision will have significant implications for teacher morale, retention, and the district's ability to attract and retain quality educators.