The Board of Education of Anne Arundel County has approved a negotiated agreement with the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County (TAAAC) that eliminates step differentials and places all Unit I employees on their proper experience step.
The agreement, which expires on June 30, 2022, was approved by the Board at its January 5, 2022, meeting and ratified by TAAAC members the day before. TAAAC represents teachers, school counselors, and other similar employees.
“It is my sincere hope that this agreement puts to rest once and for all the disparity our teachers and other Unit I employees have experienced with regard to their compensation as a result of economic downturns,” Board President Joanna Bache Tobin said. “There are many challenges we must all face together and removing this from the conversation benefits our educators, our school system, and our children.”
The agreement also provides all eligible TAAAC members with a step increase in the current fiscal year and provides all TAAAC members with a 1 percent cost-of-living increase. Modifications to evening activities requirements for teachers and other Unit I employees are also part of the agreement.
“This is an incredible step forward for our educators,” TAAAC President Russell Leone told the Board prior to its vote.
The Board now has ratified agreements with all four of its four employee bargaining units.