Orange County Public Schools rejects salary and health insurance recommendations

Orange County Public Schools announced Tuesday that it has rejected a special magistrate’s recommendations on employee salaries and health insurance as negotiations remain at an impasse.The district said the recommendations would add about $68.5 million beyond its current proposal, including $57 million in additional health insurance costs and $11.5 million in additional compensation costs.When combined with insurance concessions already proposed by OCPS, the district estimates the overall financial impact would reach $105.1 million.OCPS said declining enrollment and what it described as insufficient state funding have put additional pressure on its budget. District leaders also said accepting the recommendations would not resolve funding issues facing its Employee Benefits Trust, which pays employee health claims.The district warned that implementing the recommendations could lead to significant budget cuts and reductions in personnel.OCPS said it remains committed to reaching an agre