Impasse Declared In Broward School Negotiations

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - The Broward County Public Schools announced Thursday afternoon that budget negotiations with the Broward Teachers Union had reached an impasse.

According to the school board, a proposal was offered that would have given teachers a step increase of 1.86 percent retroactive to January 2011 along with a $250 bonus for teachers on step 22.

The school board said that could only happen by the BTU agreeing to cost saving measures.

In addition, the school board criticized the BTU's requirement that a ratified contract in place prior to agreeing on the Race to the Top and school improvement grants.

The BTU responded saying that the last proposal would "give up the teachers, parents, and other community members' legal right to vote on their respective school's schedule, which according to Florida statute the union is precluded from doing."

BTU officials also said that the final proposal was actually .98 percent, rather than the 1.86 percent.

"The union's member - Broward schools' hardworking education professionals - remain willing to continue contract negotiations in an effort to reach an agreement while the two sides select an impasse special magistrate and schedule the first impasse hearing," the BTU said in a statement.