ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Orange County Public Schools believes it will have enough teachers for the beginning of LaunchEd@Home learning on Monday, even though the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association has declared an impasse in negotiations with the distrct, a spokesperson said Friday.

OCPS is focused right now on getting everything ready for students by Monday, a spokesperson said.


What You Need To Know

  • Focus for district now is getting prepared for reopening.

  • Students are scheduled to go back to school online next week

  • OCCTA declared impasse in negotiations Thursday

  • Teacchers say the plan to restart puts their health and lives at risk

The OCCTA, which declared the impasse Thursday, contends OCPS’s plan threatens the health and lives of its more than 14,000 educators, as well as the students they serve and their families. 

The issue may have to be addressed by a special magistrate.

“We could not reach an agreement with the District after weeks and weeks of bargaining so the union declared impasse," OCCTA said in a statement. "We hope that the District will waive a special magistrate hearing so we can go directly to the school board to resolve these life and death issues. We will continue to attempt to bargain in the meantime, but if you were watching today [Thursday], you can see we are hundreds of miles apart.” 

Orange County students are scheduled to begin classes online next week and then some would return to in-classroom instruction in two weeks.