• Tentative Agreement: Language for members’ top priority: Unfounded Claims

• Tentative Agreement: Reduces sick leave donation requirement (from 10 to 4 days)

• Tentative Agreement: No meetings on the last Wednesday of the student school year

• 3 weeks of paid maternity leave

• MOU about Open House and Meet the Teacher

• 504 reviews have been reduced to every 3 years instead of annually

• Added 3 days paid Bereavement Leave

• Moved a teacher non workday to April to ease the long period of no time off

• Doubled CTA PD course offerings, including a virtual AI course launching in September

• Union Recertification with 98% of members voting in favor

• Recovered membership density after SB256 and built even more momentum

• Percentage Raises

WEDNESDAY PREPLANNING PD: Professional Development on August 6, is not mandatory. Please email us at orangecta@gmail.com if your principal is requiring teachers to attend PD. 

PREPLANNING SCHEDULE: During preplanning, administrators can schedule meetings and activities, but these are capped at 2.5 duty days (18.75 hours). The rest of the preplanning time is protected for teachers to set up classrooms, plan lessons, and prepare for the year. This provision does not apply to new hires, STO schools, or CP schools. "Scheduled activities during preplanning will be limited to the equivalent of no more than two and one-half (2 ½) duty days so as not to significantly impede the teachers’ time for preparation for the coming school year. This does not apply to new hires to the District and/or work location, schools assigned to the School Transformation Office, or schools identified as Corrective Program Schools." Article XIV.Duty Day. T. P60 

WEDNESDAY MEETINGS SCHEDULE: During preplanning, teachers must receive the meetings (including PD) schedule for early release Wednesdays for the first semester. The principal has two early release days per month to use at their discretion, while the rest are protected for uninterrupted teacher planning. "Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, the administrator may use a maximum of two (2) early release days per month. The remaining early release days shall be used for uninterrupted planning time after student contact time. Teachers will be provided a copy of the schedule during preplanning for the first semester and before winter break for the second semester. Before the beginning of the school year, the District will send communication discouraging the scheduling of unnecessary meetings and/or Professional Development scheduled the Wednesday before report cards or progress reports are due." Article XV. Work Year. D. P61

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING (VIRTUAL): We invite you to virtually attend our upcoming Annual Membership Meeting! This meeting is an opportunity for us to reflect on the past year, from the challenges we faced to the wins we achieved together. We'll share our goals for the upcoming year, and how you can help us achieve them! Register HERE

Date/Time:  Wednesday, August 6, 5:00 pm

SOCIAL WITH CONGRESSMAN MAXWELL FROST:  Get to know Congressman Maxwell Frost at a social for CTA members on Friday, August 22! Come out to share your ideas, concerns, and hopes for public education with the Congressman, along with other local leaders. We hope to see you there! Stay tuned in the next newsletter for location details.

Date/Time: Friday, August 22, 5:30 pm

Location: TBD

LABOR DAY FAMILY/UNION PICNIC AT CTA: Join us and our brothers/sisters from the Central Florida Central Labor Council for an afternoon of great food and entertainment at our annual Labor Day Picnic! All union members and their families are invited! As you know, CTA members are also members of the AFL-CIO along with many other local unions in Central Florida. These are important connections and allies in the labor movement. We show up for each other in contract fights, pickets, and our brothers/sisters often come to our bargaining meetings to support us.

Date:  Monday, September 1

Location: CTA Office (1020 Webster Ave, Orlando, FL 32804)

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING: Are you looking for ways to: design lessons that meet students where they are in the learning process? Anticipate and reduce barriers for students to achieve rigorous goals? Use students’ strengths and interests to drive instruction? Then join us for our next Professional Development course, UDL: Universal Design for Learning Framework and Guidelines! This interactive module is based on the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) Universal Design for Learning Framework and Guidelines. Participants will build an understanding of neuroscience as a foundation for educating the whole child and designing instruction to best meet the needs of diverse learners. Register today!

Date: September 19-20

Location: CTA Office (1020 Webster Ave, Orlando, FL 32804)

ORLANDO CITY & ORLANDO PRIDE: Join Orlando Pride & Orlando City to celebrate Back to School! Take advantage of one (1) complimentary ticket with the purchase of a ticket to select home matches! Click HERE to claim your complimentary offer today! 

SCHOOL COMMITTEES: Each Association Representative at schools will coordinate a vote to establish or choose a representative to the following committees: Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC), Placement Review Committee, and Budget Advisory Committee, and a representative for the Bargaining Committee. The members of the FAC are in charge of establishing a process to elect the teacher representative to the School Advisory Committee.

BARGAINING COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE: Every OCPS school/worksite should have a representative on the expanded Bargaining Committee. This member attends bargaining dates when possible, communicates bargaining updates to instructional personnel at their school/worksite, and shares insights from the school/worksite to the committee and Bargaining Team. Make sure your voices are heard! Email us at orangecta@gmail.com if you would like to be part of the bargaining committee or contact your AR (ARs are welcome to serve on the Bargaining Committee as well).

CTA COMMITTEES: Interested in becoming more involved with your union? We invite members to sign up for the committees listed below! This is a great way to connect, organize, and build solidarity with other members. Committees meet monthly on Zoom. Sign up HERE and we'll reach out with more information.

• FYRE (Florida Young Remarkable Educators): FYRE continuously engages and empowers diverse teams of early career educators through training, collaboration, networking and opportunities to experience their union in action — giving a voice to new members with which to advocate for their students, their union and their profession.

• Government Relations

• Howard Fenner Scholarship

• Marion Cannon Scholarship

• Ulysses Floyd Scholarship

• Human and Civil Rights

• Minority Affairs

MEMBERS ONLY  FACEBOOK GROUP: Remember that our members only Facebook Group is the ONLY group affiliated with your Union. Be sure you are getting accurate information when asking questions online. We have seen inaccurate information in other places. Also, while anonymous posting is currently an option, remember that CTA staff are unable to fix any concerns when they’re posted in the group. For assistance from staff you must email or call the office. We often see contract violations in comments but can’t file a grievance to resolve it if you don’t contact us directly. You can also file a class action grievance and remain anonymous but again that must be done by contacting the office.

Starting a teaching career is exciting—but it can also feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a new teacher or working alongside one, having the right support makes all the difference.

That’s why we created the Welcome to Teaching Conversation Series, an on-demand podcast from Share My Lesson and the AFT. In each short, practical episode, early career educators talk with AFT professional development leaders about what it really takes to succeed in the classroom—and how to build lasting support systems. 

Explore the free, for-credit episodes: 

• Classroom Management: Set clear expectations and handle behavior challenges with confidence. 

• Children’s Well-Being: Create safe spaces where students can thrive emotionally and academically. 

• Family Engagement with a Focus on Literacy: Build strong, consistent connections with families to support student success. 

• Teacher Well-Being: Learn practical tips for managing stress and staying grounded. 

• Civics Instruction: Teach civil dialogue and real-world engagement with confidence. 

• Union Partnership and the Path to Thriving in Teaching: Teaching can feel like an island. Find out how to feel more connected, supported and empowered. 

Each episode includes companion blogs and teaching resources you can use right away. 

Read the full article to access the full podcast series, bonus content, and ideas to support educators at every stage. 

P.S. If you know a new teacher or mentor at your school, forward this email and share the series with them—because no one should have to go it alone.