TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association will meet with Hillsborough County Public Schools on Monday to negotiate contracts in two bargaining sessions — one focused on education support professionals and the other focused on instructional personnel.

Last school year, they couldn’t come to an agreement and went to an impasse. Teachers didn’t actually have contracts until May, when the school year was coming to end.

Two teachers we spoke with say they’re hopeful an agreement will be reached on Monday. However, they say even that is later than they would like considering they’re returning to the classroom on Wednesday, potentially not knowing their pay for the year.

"We’re just getting frustrated as teachers," said Elyse Silver, a PE Teacher at Sulphur Springs Community School.

Silver and Steven Florio have both taught for over 20 years, but last year, they not only started the school year off without contracts, but almost finished it without, too.

"We’re anxious," Florio said. "We have other things that we have to worry about right now as opposed to what our contract is going to look like for the year."

They both say they’re trying to be optimistic, hoping HCTA and the district come to an agreement right off the bat on Monday, but say even that is late in the game.

“No other job does you start your job without knowing what you’re going to get paid, knowing the details of your contract, because I can go to McDonald’s today, get hired, and know how much I’m going to get paid, what days I’m going to work, what is expected of me. We have no idea,” Silver said.

This school year, there is a new interim superintendent though, Van Ayres, and Silver said she feels better about negotiations with him. 

“I’m very happy we have an interim superintendent and he has the experience. He went to school here in Hillsborough County, he taught in Hillsborough County, he was a principal, so he knows how us teachers feel,” she said.

Silver said she thinks more teachers would stay in Hillsborough County if it weren’t for the issues with contract negotiations.

The Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association released a statement saying, in part, “HCTA remains optimistic that this year’s negotiations will proceed quickly.”

It went on to say “HCTA continues to explore creative ways to incentivize our employees and reasonable, logical salary increases to compete with surrounding districts and offer livable wages for all employees.”

Negotiations are scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Monday.