News

For the past few bargaining cycles, CCEA has been advocating for a fair contract for our non-year-round Support staff (often referred to as non-251 staff). A key sticking point for our members has been the inequity that exists in the number of paid holidays offered in contract for employees who work between 181 and 217 days each year -- approximately 444 individuals in the CCEA Support unit.

Currently the contract allows for only one (1) paid holiday for these folks, compared with year-round staff who work 251 days and receive six (6) paid holidays. Looking at paid holidays as a proportion of contracted workdays: 2.39% of a year-round employee's contract is paid holidays, while .46% of a 217-day employee's contract is paid holiday. This inequity means that year-round staff benefit disproportionately in annual compensation as well as in contributions toward retirement (FRS). Not only are these non-251 employees are already among the lowest paid employees in the District, they benefit less in retirement.

If adjusted for true fairness and equity, these employees would be receiving four (4) paid holidays. CCEA is advocating that one added paid holiday for these employees is not only affordable and beneficial, it is fair and just.

One final bit of rationale for increasing the paid holidays for non-year-round Support: CITRUS COUNTY is the only district in the West -Central region that doesn't offer AT LEAST five (5) paid holidays to all Support staff. Want to show respect for the folks who keep the District going? Offer a competitive contract!

October 7, 2025-- INVERNESS, FL

This afternoon CCSD declared impasse in our ongoing contract negotiations. Your CCEA bargaining team is somewhat dismayed, but not necessarily surprised, by what seems a premature declaration.

The parties have been engaged in good faith bargaining and progress is being made. Both Instructional and Support contracts are in full-book review and, over the course of multiple sessions, the parties have reached tentative agreement on several articles for each. Despite collaborative progress-- perhaps owing to pressure from the FLDOE-- the Superintendent's representative issued the declaration related specifically to the Teacher Salary Increase Allocation--a portion of funds earmarked by the state for instructional compensation.

A declaration of impasse for only a portion of items on the table may not be allowable under Florida statute, however in any impasse situation, the parties may continue negotiations while exploring other possible paths to resolution. CCEA remains committed to bargaining in good faith and will continue to meet with the District in negotiations to ensure that the items which have been identified as priorities for the employees CCEA represents at the table will be addressed.

Learn more about the progress of 2025 full-book negotiations on our Collaborative Bargaining page.

September 15, 2025, marked the 50th anniversary of the recognition of CCEA as the collective voice of educators in Citrus County Schools! For half a century, teachers in our District have stood together in solidarity to protect our working conditions and to advocate for the best possible learning environment for our students.

Our union exists today because of the commitment of the educators who came before us, and at a time when our profession and Florida's public sector unions are taking on ever-increasing challenges, our members keep fighting forward. We are -- each of us --stewards of the movement that began with the nation's first state-wide teacher walk-out in 1968, which resulted in the right to collective bargaining being enshrined in the FL Constitution. It is a right that generations of Citrus County Educators have worked hard to preserve. 

We welcome YOU to be part of the difference we make!

Like many other FEA locals across the state, CCEA received notice that PERC elections would be held during the summer months when most of our members are not at work. Mail ballot elections ensure all eligible unit members have an opportunity to cast a vote to protect our collective voice and our negotiated working conditions.

CCEA's Classified and Professional Technical Support unit election will be held between June 30th and July 29th, and the Instructional unit election will be held between July 16th and August 13th. It is imperative that ballots be returned within the election timeline in order for them to be counted.

Be on the lookout for envelopes from the State of Florida Public Employees Relations Commission:

Follow the directions carefully, mark "YES - Citrus County Education Association", and return your ballot immediately-- being certain to affix the appropriate postage to the return envelope to ensure delivery before the close of the election window. 

REMINDER: Your ballot will be mailed to the contact address you have on file with Citrus County Schools. If you are exempt from public record, your ballot may be retrieved at your worksite; contact your administration for directions.

Election results will be shared on the CCEA Facebook page as they are available.

Citrus County Education Association--like every other Florida Education Association local in the state--has been hard at work rebuilding membership, staving off decertification and continuing advocacy to improve the educator working conditions that are student learning conditions. Registration renewal and a successful reelection as the designated bargaining agent for instructional and white-collar support staff in Citrus Schools in 2024 was the direct result of coordinated organizing efforts by the members of CCEA. Members collected hundreds of interest cards to trigger elections which won the overwhelming support of Citrus Schools employees.

The 2025 renewal process is now underway. CCEA has re-registered as the bargaining agent for another year, and petitions submitted to the Public Employees Relations Commission have been deemed sufficient to trigger another set of elections to protect the collective bargaining rights of educators in Citrus County. While CCEA prepares for its 2025 certification elections, it is worth noting that many FEA locals across the state have not yet had their 2024 elections. As such, it is uncertain how long CCEA members will have to wait for the announcement of 2025 mail ballots. CCEA leaders will provide updates as they are available and encourage members and potential members to remain vigilant in the weeks ahead.

Since passage of SB256 in 2023, the process for registration and renewal of certified bargaining agents has become more onerous for nearly all public sector unions in the state of Florida. Not only did SB256 eliminate payroll dues deduction rights for most public sector unions, but Florida law now requires that public sector unions register annually with 60% membership density or petition to be recertified as the bargaining agent through election. In the months that followed its passage, tens of thousands public employees lost their union and the protected working conditions that had been previously negotiated with their employers. For our fellow Citrus Schools employees in blue-collar support positions, the reality of what it means to lose a union is a lesson for us all. Click here to read about the impact felt by our coworkers and learn about their effort to win back a contract and a union.

CALL FOR SELF-NOMINATIONS for

CCEA LEADERSHIP ROLES

OPENS ON February 6th

CLOSES ON February 20th

CLICK HERE for 2025-26 Self-nomination Form

INVERNESS, FL -- Sept 3, 2024

Only one week after successfully concluding the second of our two PERC unit certification elections, CCEA and CCSD wrapped up contract negotiations for the 2024-2025 school year, paving the way for ratification voting and the possibility of retro checks in the month of October for Support members!  Talks began early in 2024 with the compensation subcommittee meeting over the course of several months to knit together the fabric of a mutual proposal which would lead to a final settlement averaging just over 6% for Classified & Professional Technical Support and offering recognition of teaching experience for instructional staff for the first time since the Teacher Salary Increase Allocation (TSIA) was introduced.

Beyond salary improvements, this year's agreements secure improvement in the payout of terminal leave, define progressive discipline under just cause, and increase Board contributions to health insurance to ensure that more of the negotiated raises remain in employee's pockets. All tentative agreements are shared on the Collaborative Bargaining page and must be ratified by both the bargaining units as well as the school board in the coming days.

While both the TSIA and state mandated $15/hour minimum wage created considerable wage compression in both units, diminishing the value of experience in employee compensation, this year's agreement is an affirmation that experience does matter.

The employees of the CCEA Classified & Professional Technical unit have petitioned the FL Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) for an election in order to preserve our contract and maintain our collective bargaining rights.

On July 23rd, PERC mailed ballots to the home mailboxes of ALL support employees. Individuals who are exempt from public record will have their ballots delivered to their worksite by district staff. If you do not receive a ballot like the one pictured below by August 12th, please reach out so that we may assist you in securing a replacement ballot.

We know that the timing of this election could be challenging with all the back-to-school activities and work required of us, but the return of ballots is time-sensitive, so please be on the lookout for yours.

Remember that without CCEA, the contract which provides guaranteed protections for our working conditions (including: seniority, duty-free lunches, terminal leave pay, and supplemental pay) is unenforceable. YOUR YES for CCEA in this election protects our contract and our right to bargain improved working conditions.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. Or if you are ready to become an active member of CCEA, click JOIN NOW and complete the digital membership form.

Don't forget to show your commitment to protecting YOUR working conditions by changing your social media profile pic:

The employees of the CCEA Instructional unit have petitioned the FL Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) for an election in order to preserve our contract and maintain our collective bargaining rights.

The week of May 20th, PERC will be mailing ballots to the home mailboxes of ALL instructional employees. Individuals who are exempt from public record will have their ballots delivered to their worksite by district staff. If you do not receive a ballot like the one pictured below by May 29th, please reach out so that we may assist you in securing a replacement ballot.

We know that the timing of this election could be challenging with all the end-of-year activities and work required of us, but the return of ballots is time-sensitive, so please be on the lookout for yours in the coming week.

Remember that without CCEA, the contract which provides guaranteed protections for our working conditions (including: protected planning time, duty-free lunches, terminal leave pay, and supplemental pay) is unenforceable. YOUR YES for CCEA in this election protects our contract and our right to bargain improved working conditions.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. Or if you are ready to become an active member of CCEA, click JOIN NOW and complete the digital membership form.

Don't forget to show your commitment to protecting YOUR working conditions by changing your social media profile pic:

Calling All Potential Leaders!

CCEA is now accepting self-nominations for the following leadership opportunities in our professional association:

• Secretary (1 year term)
• Middle School Director (1 year term)
• Elementary Director II (1 year term)
• Alt Schools Director (2 year term)
• Worksite Leaders (1 year term for all worksites)
• Local Delegate to FEA Delegate Assembly (Oct)
• Local Delegate to NEA Representative Assembly (July)
• State Delegate to NEA Representative Assembly (July)

Directions for submitting nominations:

1. Open, edit and save the self-nomination form

   (must use Edge or Chrome to utilize editable form)

2. Return the completed form to the HCTA Elections Committee Chair via email (heinzmanl@citrusschools.org)

If you are unable to open the form and edit it in either Edge or Chrome, please print a copy, print legibly and then scan or return a clear picture of the completed nomination form to heinzmanl@citrusschools.org.

All nominations must be received by no later than 5:00pm on Friday, February 23rd. Please be sure to check your personal email for confirmation of receipt of your nomination.