Florence 1 Schools continues to lead SC by approving new updated teacher contracts

After decades of one-page contracts for teachers with little detail about salary or work expectations, Florence 1 Schools teachers will be the first to see a new contract for the 2025-2026 school year. The new contract provides teachers with important information about the benefits they receive as a teacher in Florence 1.

Over the past several months F1S Chief Personnel Officer Nathaniel Marshall visited all school locations, holding 25 different sessions to get input from teachers about what they would like to see included in their contract and which current items needed clarification. 

“I knew from articles I’ve read that teachers were concerned about the teacher contract because it is very basic; essentially the contract says you have a job,” Marshall said. “After these meetings, teachers wrote individual notes, they asked questions, they gave suggestions and then I invited all of our teachers of the year to sit down and look at the feedback with me to see what changes we could make.”

Marshall said the new contract gives employees a central place to look when they have questions. 

“Sick days and personal days are clearly defined in board policy but that information wasn’t included in the contract,” Marshall said. “Now, teachers can reference their contract to see what the sick day policy is. They can see how they can participate in the district’s sick leave bank. More importantly, I believe, the new contract provides a voice for our educators because we have heard their feedback and made changes to the contract based on that feedback.”

Dena Crews, Reading Coach at North Vista Elementary School and incoming president of The South Carolina Educators Association (SCEA) said that the conversation around contracts is something she had been examining herself: how could contracts be written to provide more information and empower teachers?  

“Throughout my travels, meeting people from all across the country who are a part of the National Education Association, and looking at contracts for bargaining states, I saw policy language included in their contracts,” Crews said. “I wanted to know why we couldn’t have policy language in our contracts. It is good for our teachers to be able to say, I signed this contract and this is what I am required to do.”  

Crews said the new contract has more “meat” than the old one.

“The new contract is a give and take between the district and teachers,” Crews said. “Teachers can sign the new contract and feel like they actually have some rights as an employee of the district; they can feel respected. Florence 1 sets the bar high in everything we do. We hope that other districts will follow our example and start having these discussions with their own teachers.”

Marshall said that he expects to have similar conversations and sessions again next year to gather teacher feedback on how the new contract might be improved.

Summary of Contract Changes:

• Assignment: Note added that states assignment location is for the 2025-2026 school year and that changes will only occur when absolutely necessary to support the mission of the district.
• Salary: Clarifies that the salary is based on the teacher’s current salary and will be updated once the State Legislature and Board adopt the budget. Also moves salary information to the top of the contract, as requested.
• Responsibilities: Language added to clarify teacher expectations regarding student supervision, assigned duties, and participation in meetings and training activities.
• Unencumbered Time: Outlines teachers’ rights to unencumbered time as defined by law and board policy.
• Leave: Board policy information regarding sick and personal days as well as Sick Leave Bank added.