The Orange County school system serves about 209,000 students at 210 schools and is one of the largest employers in Central Florida with more than 23,000 team members. Our employees represent the District’s most valuable asset, working daily to support our mission: With the support of families and the community, we create enriching and diverse pathways to lead our students to success.
The topical list below includes answers to most employee questions. If, after reviewing this list you cannot find the answer to your question, please email HR@ocps.net for direction.
New or returning employees must create or update their personal profile in the Orange County Public Schools Identity Management system. This profile is what gives you access to the district network, and activates your email account.
You must have the following to begin this procedure: an OCPS personnel number. A unique personnel number is assigned to each employee when they are hired, and you will keep this personnel number through the entirety of your employment with OCPS (even if there are gaps in your employment). If you do not know what your personnel number is, check with your school or department secretary or supervisor to obtain this information before attempting to create or update your personal profile.
Go to Password and Access Management and select Create/Update Your Profile from the menu. The system will walk you through the necessary steps to create or update your profile.
For technical assistance, contact the Information Technology Services Help Desk by phone at 407-317-3375.
The employee portal, frequently referred to as MyOCPS, can be used to view your pay stub, update or change your address, phone number or emergency contact information, update or change your direct deposit information, complete the annual insurance benefits enrollment, see your paid time off leave balances, request or enter a day of leave, or for certain positions complete a timesheet. The portal is available 24/7 to all employees.
This portal requires the employee to logon with their personnel number and network password. If you are a new or rehired employee, you must know your personnel number and must first activate your network (Active Directory) account (see previous topic on how to complete this step if you have not already done so).
Direct Deposit is mandatory for all employees at Orange County Public Schools.
New employees must complete the online direct deposit form on the employee portal MyOCPS. New employees who do not complete the online direct deposit form will receive their first scheduled paycheck as a paper check that will be mailed to the address on file for the employee. Any future checks will be held and may be picked up in the Payroll Services department (located at 445 W. Amelia Street, Orlando FL 32801) until the employee completes the online direct deposit form.
Instructions for completing the online direct deposit form can be found on the Payroll Intranet site (this is a secure site that will require you to log on with your personnel number and network password).
New employees have an eight-month window to elect a retirement plan. There are two plan choices:
You can visit Choose myFRS Plan for help in choosing your plan. Your plan choice deadline is 4pm ET on the last business day of the eighth month following your date of hire. If you do not submit a plan choice by your deadline, the Investment Plan will be considered your 1st Election by default. Exception: If you are in the Special Risk Class, the Pension Plan will be considered your 1st Election by default.
You may call the MyFRS Financial Guidance Line toll-free at 1-866-446-9377 for additional help in choosing your plan (they are available 9 am – 8 pm ET, Monday-Friday, excluding holidays).
During your second month of employment, you should receive a Welcome Brochure from FRS to your mailing address - please be sure your address is up to date and correct, using the employee portal MyOCPS if necessary to make changes. The Welcome Brochure you receive in the mail will include a PIN needed to complete your retirement plan election online service.
You will receive five new hire reminders from FRS during your eight-month window.
For additional information, you may view the PREO (pre-employment) Retirement video or visit OCPS Retirement Services website.
New Employee information on the available insurance options as well as rates and instructions for enrolling can be found on the Insurance Benefits intranet site (this is a secure site that will require you to log on with your personnel number and network password).
The Insurance Benefits enrollment process is completed using the employee portal MyOCPS. New employee enrollment is available for 2 weeks after your first day of work. Instructions for completing the enrollment process can be found as previously stated.
Your coverage begins the first day of the month following a 59-day waiting period based on the first day you begin working in a benefited position. You can view the Effective Dates for 2025-2026 coverage sheet to determine when coverage will begin.
Payroll deductions for coverage begin the month prior to your effective date. You can review the 2025-2026 Rate sheet to determine the payroll deduction for the coverage you choose.
After you have made your insurance selections, you may be required to provide documentation (i.e. birth certificate, marriage certificate, domestic partner affidavit, etc.). These documents must be provided to the OCPS Insurance Benefits office immediately to ensure your enrollment is processed.
Make your decisions carefully. Once you enroll in the plans you choose, you are locked in until the next enrollment takes effect the following October. During the plan year, you can change doctors, but not plans. Changes can only be made during the plan year if you’ve had an approved family status change (i.e. marriage, adoption, birth of a child) by calling the Insurance Benefits office at 407.317.3245.
View Insurance FAQs for additional information.
The address and phone number included on your candidate profile, as well as the emergency contact information provided on the New Hire Data Collection form completed during onboarding in our applicant tracking system is defaulted to your permanent record when you are hired or rehired by the district.
It is your responsibility to update the address, phone number or emergency contact information whenever changes occur. This is especially important in order to receive mailed communication and materials from both FRS and the insurance provider(s) you may select during enrollment.
Address, phone numbers and emergency contact information are updated online in the employee portal MyOCPS. Navigate to the Employee Self Service > Personal Information page and use the Personal Profile link to update your address, phone number or emergency contact information as needed.
Certain employees cannot update their information through the portal – those in positions that require a driver license or those employees who have an exemption from public records. If the portal does not allow you to update the address, phone number or emergency contact information, please contact your school or department secretary for assistance.
Every employee must provide the employer a completed withholding allowance certificate (Form W-4) on or before the date of employment. The Form W-4 is completed electronically through the employee portal MyOCPS. Once you are logged on, navigate to the Employee Self-Service > Payment screen to find the W-4 Tax Withholding link.
If an employee fails to complete the form, the employer must withhold as if the individual were single or married filing separately (this means the maximum amount of federal withholding taxes will be withheld). Employees can update their W-4 Withholding form at any time through the employee portal.
There are tools to assist employees in determining the proper amount of withholding tax regarding the W-4 form such as IRS Publication 919, “How Do I Adjust My Tax Withholding?” This publication is available online and by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676). You can also access the IRS withholding calculator for additional help.
What if I claim an exemption from federal withholdings?
If you pay no federal tax on your tax return, you had no tax liability last year and you expect the same to be true for the current year, you can exempt yourself from having taxes withheld from your paycheck for the current calendar year. These employees must update their W-4 status online every year to maintain their exempt status. All employees claiming exempt who fail to renew their Form W-4 online through My OCPS by the yearly deadline will be converted to the default status of single with no other adjustments. Your first pay check after the deadline will reflect this change if proper action has not been taken to update your Form W-4 online through employee portal.
District staff cannot offer advice on tax filing status as we do not employ licensed tax attorneys. You must use the tools on the IRS website to make decisions regarding your personal filing status.
The Payroll Services Newsletters for New Employees have been designed to provide payroll guidance for new employees. In these newsletters you will find a variety of payroll topics and instructions that will help you understand OCPS payroll processes and procedures.
If you have a payroll related matter that needs correcting, always begin with the secretary/bookkeeper at your worksite. The secretary/bookkeeper is responsible for maintaining your payroll records. If your questions cannot be answered, he/she will contact the Payroll department for further guidance.
All OCPS employees are paid bi-weekly (every other Wednesday). Payroll calendars should be referenced to determine when you will receive your first check and last check of the work year – the calendars below include the attendance period and check date for each bi-weekly payment. If you are new employee, find your start date in the Attendance Period column on the calendar, and then reference the Pay Date in the next column – this will be your first Wednesday check date.
To review the payroll calendar, find your employee type on the list below and click on the Payroll Area link (the Payroll Area links referenced below are on a secure site that will require you to log on with your personnel number and network password). If you are unsure of your employee type, please check with the secretary/bookkeeper at your worksite to provide that information.
10-month Instructional staff – Payroll Area 93
11-month Instructional staff (School Psychologists) – Payroll Area 94
12-month staff (Classified and Administrative Staff) – Payroll Area 81
11-month Occupational/Physical Therapists – Payroll Area 71
10-month Classified/Support Staff (Food Service and Educational Paraprofessionals and Interpreters) – Payroll Area 83
10-month Classified/Support Staff (196 days) – Payroll Area 82
10-month Classified/Support Staff (191 days) – Payroll Area 84
10-month Food Service Managers (196 days) – Payroll Area 85
10-month Transportation and Hourly Transportation Staff (191 days) – Payroll Area 87
Hourly Staff (except Transportation) – Payroll Area 97
No, ten-month employees are not paid over the summer months. The payroll calendar (see “when and how often do I get paid”) can be used to find your first and last check date for the school year.
There are two options for deferring some of your wages to paid during the summer available through Additions Financial. Click here for details and frequently asked questions for more information about these options.
In addition, teachers have a choice to elect deferred payments during the year. Teachers who elect deferred pay can choose to have a percentage amount (11%, 12%, 13% or 15%) deferred from the regular gross wages (contract salary excluding bonuses or other additional monies paid) each pay period and deducted from the net paycheck. At the end of the school year, the employee will receive one additional payment for the entire deferred deduction. The payment will not incur any taxes or other deductions since the deferment was deducted from the employees net amount during the year (taxes and other deductions are paid on the deferment at the time the wage is earned). The deferred payout date is listed on the instructional payroll calendar as the last check for the year and only applies to teachers who have elected this deferred payment option. For more information on this option, review the Payroll Services Deferred Payment Plan site. This site includes an option to use the Deferred Payment Calculator to estimate the amount deferred each period and the affect that will have on your regular paycheck.
The employee paycheck stub (or salary statement) includes all the details for a payment made. Your salary statement can be found online in the employee portal MyOCPS by navigating to the Employee Self Service > Payment page. The Salary Statement link on that page will present you with a list of all paychecks you have received in the year. Click on any row to view the statement. You may download or print a copy for your records if needed.
Please note the top of the salary statement includes the Attendance Period and Pay Date, as well as your Payroll Area at the time of the check.
For additional information about data included on the paycheck stub, visit the Payroll intranet site (this is a secure site that will require you to log on with your personnel number and network password).
Work hours vary by and are mandated by the position, may be governed by school policies GCL Professional Staff Calendars and Schedules, and GDK Support Staff Time Schedules, or by the contracts of the respective bargining units.
Each position, when advertised in one of the career portals, includes the expected work hours and days in the job description (this information is visible only while the position is advertised; once the advetisment window has ended the informatino is no longer visible). New employees should confirm with their supervisor the expected work hours and begin and end times required for their position.
Administrators and other professional (non-bargained) staff
In general, these employees work 8 hours/day (excluding the one hour unpaid lunch break), with work hours being Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. During the summer months (June and July) these staff members work 10 hours/day, with work hours being Monday – Thursday from 7:00 a.m to 5:30 p.m. (assuming a half-hour unpaid lunch break) or 7:00 a.m – 6:00 p.m. (assuming a one-hour unpaid lunch break). There may be exceptions to this schedule depending on the unique requirements of the position held by the employee. New employees should always confirm their work hours and begin and end times with their supervisor.
There are occasions when duties extend beyond the normal work hours listed above. When those special events/activities occur, flex time may be used to compensate these employees. These positions are exempt from overtime pay (the only exception to this are District Police which are defined as non-exempt from overtime pay).
Instructional staff
The work hours for these employees are dictated by the Contract between The School Board of Orange County, Florida and The Orange County Classroom Teachers Association in Article XIV and Appendix E. Ten-month instructional staff work 7.5 hours per day, including a duty free paid lunch, for a total of 37.5 hours per week, Eleven-month school psychologists work 8 hours per day including a 25 minute duty free paid lunch, for a totla of 40 hours per week.
Policy GCL Professional Schedules and Calendars specifies that each school principal, with the Superintendent's approval, shall establish the beginning and ending time for work duty of instructional staff. New employees should always confirm their begin and end times with their principal or supervisor.
Instrutional positions are exempt from overtime pay.
Classified staff
Positions held by these employees have varying work hours, depending on the position type. The Contract between The School Board of Orange County, Florida And The Orange Education Support Professionals Association in Article XIII dictates that employees who are scheduled to work at least three and one-half hours per day shall be granted a fifteen-minute paid rest period and that employees who are scheduled to work beyond six hours per day shall be granted an additional, separate paid rest period. Paid rest periods (2) for a 10 hour duty day shall be 20 minutes. A non-paid meal break of at least 30 minutes is also required per the contract. New employees should always confirm their work hours and begin and end times with their supervisor.
While these positions are not exempt from overtime, overtime is not allowed unless prior approval is granted by their supervisor.
In the event of severe weather, the district will communicate with employees via email, voice mail, text and through postings on the OCPS website to keep them informed of closures or return to work requirements.
To ensure communication is received in the event of a severe weather closure, employees should review and confirm their telephone number is up to date in the employee portal MyOCPS. Navigate to the Employee Self Service > Personal Information page and use the Personal Profile link to update your phone number as needed. Providing a cell phone number will allow you to receive text messages and voice messages in the event traditional telephone land lines are down or are not operational.
In the event of severe weather closure(s), the Superintendent may waive a portion of the makeup days and/or utilize other alternatives, such as extended Wednesdays or extending the school year, to ensure that the district meets the state’s required hours of instruction for the school year. After exhausting these alternatives, the district will utilize the prioritized make-up days listed on the school year calendar. These can be reveiwed on the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar. Information on severe weather makeup days will be communicated to all employees after the severe weather event has passed. This may take some time while the district ocntinues to assess damage or consult with the respective bargaining units.
Through its governance powers, the School Board has adopted an extensive list of Board Policies to ensure there is a safe learning environment for all students and a safe working environment for all staff. All policies can be viewed online at the School Board Policies homepage.
The Board hereby recognizes and acknowledges the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association, Inc., as the exclusive bargaining agent and agrees to negotiate with the Association’s designated representative pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 447, Florida Statutes, for all certified non-administrative personnel as defined herein including employees on Board-approved leave of absence.
The Association acknowledges and recognizes the School Board of Orange County, Florida, as the duly elected representative of the people of Orange County, Florida, and agrees to negotiate with the Chief Executive Officer or his representative pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 447, Florida Statutes.
The bargaining unit shall be defined as set forth by the Public Employees Relations Commission in Case Number 8H-RC-754-1039, by the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission on the twenty-first day of May, 1975, and as mutually agreed to by the parties to wit:
INCLUDED: All certified non-administrative personnel including the following: teachers, teachers-countywide, teachers-exceptional, teachers-gifted, speech therapists, teachers-specific learning disabilities, teachers-adult full-time, guidance personnel, occupational specialists, teachers-adult basic education, librarians/media specialists, deans, department chairpersons and compensatory education teachers, registered nurses, social workers, adjuncts/technical adult, and school psychologists.
EXCLUDED: All other positions of the Orange County Public Schools are excluded.
Contract between the School Board of Orange County, Florida and the Classroom Teachers Association
MOU#6 – ParentSquare Implementation
MOU#4 – Meet the Teacher for 2025-26
MOU#2 – Paid Maternity Leave – EFFECTIVE 07/01/2025
MOU#1 – Sustainability Champion Recognition Program for 2024-25
A Management Directive addresses a serious legal or policy issue in the district that requires a formal directive from the superintendent. A directive has the force of policy, and violations of the directive are serious.
The district's Management Directives page includes all directives that cover personnel and organizational governance.
The Board acknowledges and recognizes the Orange Education Support Professionals Association (OESPA, FEA, and its national affiliates), hereinafter referred to as the Union, as the exclusive bargaining representative for classified employees, whether on active duty or Board approved leave of absence, and agrees to negotiate with the Union's designated representative pursuant to the provisions of Part II, Chapter 447, Florida Statutes.
The Union acknowledges and recognizes the School Board of Orange County, Florida, hereinafter referred to as the Board, as the duly elected representative of the people of Orange County, Florida, and agrees to negotiate with the Board's Chief Executive Officer or his representative pursuant to the provisions of Part II, Chapter 447, Florida Statutes.
The Bargaining unit shall be defined as set forth by the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) (Case Number RC 92-008, Certificate Number 700, as amended, CERTIFICATION OF REPRESENTATION FOLLOWING ELECTION AND ORDER TO NEGOTIATE issued by the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission on the thirtieth day of July, 1992).
INCLUDED: All full-time and regular part-time classified personnel employed by the Board as defined by PERC.
EXCLUDED: Classified positions employed in the following offices are excluded from the bargaining unit: Superintendent, Chief of Staff, School Board Services, General Counsel, Labor and Legislative Relations, Professional Standards, Personnel Specialist in Compensation Services and Budget Specialists in the Office of Management and Budget.
MOU#2 – Paid Maternity Leave – EFFECTIVE 07/01/2025
OESPA Contract Clarifiers – UPDATED
Management Directive A-04 states that all employees of Orange County Public Schools have an affirmative duty to immediately report known or suspected child abuse, neglect or abandonment. The threshold for mandated reporting is “reasonable cause to suspect” that a child has been abused or neglected.
Management Directive A-10 requires an employee to self-report all arrests, injunctions or convictions to the Office of Professional Standards within 48 hours of the date and time of the arrest. A phone message may be left 24 hours per day at (407) 317-3239.
The Principals of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession can be viewed on the Florida Department of Education Professional Practice site here.
Addition Financial is now one of the largest credit unions in Central Florida. Employees and their immediate family members are eligible to become a member. Visit the Addition Financial membership page for more information about membership, opening an account, loans, and other services.
There are two deferred options available through Additions Financial. Click here for details and frequently asked questions about these options.
If the employee requires access to an additional site, or an additional space at their current site, .....
If the employee requires access outside of normal operating hours at their site ...
If your badge is lost, stolen or damaged ...
If your name has changed ...
If you have transferred to a new work location ...
2024-2025 School Year calendar
2025-2026 School Year calendar
2026-2027 School Year calendar
Historical Calendars
Additional calendars can be found on the district’s Calendar page.
The testing calendar for the current year can be found on the Testing Calendar page.
Calendars for the School Board can be found on BoardDocs.
Canvas is the learning management system where employee trainings may be delivered. Employees should use the Teacher & Staff Login button to log on to the system.
If you are on the district’s network, you can use the Autologin (yellow) button to default your network credentials.
As an alternative, you can type your username in the format personnel#@ocps.k12.fl.us and enter your network password to connect.
Both options will require you complete a multi-factor authentication to proceed.
MFA, or Multi-Factor Authentication, is a security technology that requires multiple methods of authentication to verify a user's identity for a login. This helps to create a layered defense that makes it more difficult for an unauthorized person to access your account. Most banks and credit card companies have already incorporated MFA into their logon practices.
Please note that MFA will only be activated when you are attempting to access the OCPS network from an offsite location, i.e. private residence.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Setup
Add, Review or Change Multi-Factor Authentication (MF) Method
In order to apply for a position with OCPS, applicants will need the following information:
When applying for the first time at OCPS, the applicant will create a profile that requires the information listed above to be provided. This information will be stored on the candidate profile and will not have to be re-entered on subsequent applications.
* Per Florida Statute 119.071(5), this is to notify you of the purpose of collecting and utilizing your social security number. Providing your social security number is a condition of employment at Orange County Public Schools. To protect your identity, Employment Services will secure your social security number from unauthorized access, and strictly prohibit the release of your social security number to unauthorized parties contrary to state and federal law.
Employment Services collects your social security number for legitimate business purposes during the recruitment, selection and hiring process with Orange County Public Schools. Your social security number will be used for completing and processing the following actions: Employment application for determining certification eligibility [1012.56 F.S.], Completion of federal I-9 form for the filing and issuance of federal employment forms [8 USC 1324a(b)], Completion of federal W-4 form for filing and issuance of federal employment forms [8 USC 1324a(b)], Florida Retirement Contribution Report [119.071(5)(a)6.b.], and Conducting criminal background screening [1012.56 F.S.]. Your Social security number is also used as a unique numeric identification within some of our systems and may be used for search purposes.
To update your candidate profile, visit one of the career portals listed below, and find the Log back in! link in the upper right corner (just beneath the Careers banner).
Once you have successfully logged on, you will see buttons labeled Update your Profile (attach a new resume, change your contact information, attach documents, and so on) and AT* Employment History (update your previous employment history dates, supervisor name and contact information, or add additional information).
When applying for the first time at OCPS, the applicant will create a login ID and password. The self-service option in the career portal can be used later to reset the password as needed:
The system will email the applicant a link to allow a new password to be chosen. The email address used for this will be the one stored on the profile. If the email address is incorrect, the applicant can’t remember the email address used on the profile, or if it needs to be changed for any reason, the applicant should email HR@ocps.net to request the address be updated.
If the applicant used their ocps.net email address when creating their profile, the system will not allow them to log back in or reset their password with that address. The applicant should email HR@ocps.net to request the address be updated.
Candidates may email HR@ocps.net for help with accessing their profile, updating the email address used on their profile, or completing an application. Questions sent to this address are answered during normal business hours - during the school year, Monday-Friday 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM, and during the summer months (June and July), Monday – Thursday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Questions sent to this address on the weekends or during holidays will be answered the next business day.
Instructional positions at OCPS require a professional certification and in some cases an industry license, and have a ten-month (197 day) work year. This includes both classroom and non-classroom teachers, mental health counselors, social workers, audiologists, speech therapists, diagnosticians, staffing specialists, deans, guidance/school counselors, registered nurses (RNs), media specialists and others.
Instructional positions also include school psychologists, which require a professional certification but have an eleven-month (228 day) work year.
To view current instructional openings, visit the Teacher Career Portal.
Classified positions at OCPS include administration and clerical support, custodial, food services, educational paraprofessional/aides, drivers, school health (LPNs), laborers, skilled crafts (tradesmen), fleet services, and uniformed security. The days per year and work hours per day varies by position, and will be included on the job posting.
To view current classified/support job openings, visit the Classified Career Portal.
School-based administrative positions at OCPS include Principal and Assistant Principal positions. Candidates for these positions must first be admitted to the administrative pool. Application to the OCPS administrative pool is open year-round to both internal and external applicants. For information on the pool process, or to begin your application start here.
Pool Process Contact Information:
Dr. Amanda Ellis
Principal-on-Assignment
407-317-3200, ext. 2002528
Jacquelyn Ubeda
Program Coordinator
407-317-3200, ext. 2002588
Administrative positions at OCPS are professional positions that include executive, instructional and non-instructional leaders. These positions are those with district-level administrative or policy-making duties, generally have broad authority for management policies and general school district operations related to the instructional and non-instructional program. Such personnel often report directly to the Superintendent or to the executive cabinet, and typically supervise other professional employees (fromschool board policy GC Professional Staff).
Other professional positions at OCPS include those that deal with technology (engineers, analysts, etc.), occupational and physical therapists, staff attorneys, accountants, managers and supervisors, district police, and others.
To view current administratve and other professional job openings, visit the Administrative Career Portal.
Instructional – targeted schools, ESE supplements
Classified –
ITS –
The majority of OCPS Substitute educators are staffed through Kelly Education, and include both substitute teaching and substitute paraeducator positions. Having an education degree or prior work experience are typically not required. In general, substitute teachers maintain the learning environment when the teacher is absent, and need a minimum of 60 college credit hours/Associate’s degree. Substitute paraeducators work one on one with students under the supervision of a classroom teacher, and need a minimum of a high school diploma.
The substitute educator positions do not require a regular daily or hourly commitment. There is only a minimum requirement that a substitute work at least one day within the first 30 days of hire, and then three Mondays or Fridays in any 45-day calendar period. Prior to the first work assignment, you receive free online classroom management training to help you become a capable classroom leader. Free professional development courses are always available to you, covering a variety of topics that are relevant to the work you will be doing. All substitute educators — regardless of position — receive paid orientation that covers Kelly Education employment and district-specific policies and procedures.
For more information about becoming a substitute educator at OCPS through Kelly Education visit their website here.
OCPS hires permanent substitutes for work in our exceptional education schools. These are classified positions, with a 186-day work year, and provide classroom coverage for a teacher or other classified district employee in the event of absence. Minimum requirements for these positions are a Bachelor’s degree, with demonstrated knowledge of the developmental differences in school age children according to age and physical/emotional disposition, with demonstrated mathematical and reading skills, and ability to professionally and effectively attend to the needs of school age children. For a list of current vacancies for these positions, visit our career portal here.
The district does not sponsor J-1 visas directly, but rather hires international teachers through Educational Partners International (EPI) and TPG Cultural Exchange. These companies act as an official J-1 visa sponsor for teacher exchange visitors, designated by the U.S. Department of State
The Exchange Visitor (J) non-immigrant visa category is for individuals approved to participate in work- and study-based exchange visitor programs. Qualified foreign nationals can travel to the United States for a period of time to participate in cultural exchange programming and then return to their home country to complete the exchange.
The visa is issued for a 3-year period. In the third year, the host school and teacher can apply for a 2-year extension if they would like to do so. The 2-year extension is subject to approval by the Department of State.
At the conclusion of the program, educators are required to return to their home countries for a minimum of two years before returning to the U.S. on the J-1 nonimmigrant visa.
You can read more about the Exchange Visitor Program at the U.S. Department of State website.
Orange County Public Schools collaborates with colleges and universities to provide training experiences for students enrolled in teacher education and other professional programs. We believe that student teachers make a positive contribution to the education of our students and that the district contributes significantly to future educators by offering quality teaching experiences to over 300 university students each semester. By collaborating with our university partners, we hope to nurture the professional growth of interns, support the continued professional development of collaborating teachers, provide rich learning experiences in our classrooms and strengthen our partnerships with colleges and universities. To this end, all requests for internship placement are made through the Internship Department in conjunction with school leadership and our university partners. Only students registered at higher education institutions holding an OCPS placement agreement are deemed eligible for internship placement consideration. The stipulations contained in the placement agreement serve as the guiding framework to support the professional development of the aspiring educators.
The internship timeline for the current year may be viewed here.
The internship application should be completed returned to your University Intern Office for submission to OCPS.
The district transports over 52,000 students during the traditional school year traveling more than 12 million miles, utilizing about 517 daily routes, with over 20,000 bus stops! Our dedicated team members work with a student population who represent 200 countries/regions and speak 167 different languages and dialects.
We operate four garage facilities serving over 1,600 district-owned vehicles such as school buses, trucks, autos, vans, and trailers. We provide mechanical repair and maintenance for specialized power equipment such as electrical generators and operator-driven equipment including sweepers and mowers.
Current openings can be viewed here.
Visit the Transportation Career Opportunities page to find information on upcoming career fairs, virtual phone interviews, and fast track applications. For additional information, you can email trans-employeeservices@ocps.net or contact the main transportation office at 407-317-3800, or apply in-person at one of our four transportation compounds Monday through Friday between the hours of 8am and 3pm:
Hanging Moss Compound at 6721 Hanging Moss Road, Orlando FL 32807
Pine Hills Compound at 5140 N. Pine Hills Road, Orlando FL 32808
Lake Nona Compound at 8105 McCoy Road, Orlando FL 32822
Eric Olson Compound at 2900 Bear Bryant Boulevard, Orlando FL 32809
All positions advertised in one of our career portals include a Salary Schedule link – clicking that link will open the latest Board approved salary or placement schedule for the advertised position This link is only visible while the position is being advertised in the career portal (once the advertisement closes, the position is no longer visible in the career portal).
You may also refer to the section on this Employee Resources page titled Salary Schedules and FAQs to review the salary schedules for positions in the district.
The OCPS pre-employment orientation (PREO) session provides an opportunity for all the components of the pre-employment process to be held at one time and in one location.
All sessions are currently being held at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center (RBELC) located at 445 W. Amelia Street, Orlando, Florida. Parking is available on the first floor of the parking garage located next to the building. Upon entering the building, candidates will be directed through the process.
The school or work location offering employment registers the candidate for a specific PREO session, and provides the candidate with a confirmation email or letter. Candidates can expect the following when attending the PREO session:
Orange County Public Schools maintains a workplace free of drugs and other forms of substance abuse. School board policy GBEC Drug Free Workplace outlines the parameters of the program and the District’s compliance with Florida Statutes and US Department of Transportation regulations.
Upon being offered employment, individuals are required to take and pass a screening for controlled substances as a condition of employment. Conrolled substances include the following natural and synthetic drugs: Amphetamines, Cocaine, Opiates, Marijuana, and Phencyclidine. Orange County Public Schools does not accept medical marijuana cards or prescriptions.
The candidate must agree to submit to this examination while attending the pre-employment orientation session and authorizes the provider to inform OCPS of the results. The cost for test is $46.69 and payment for the drug test must be made prior to the examination and will be completed via OCPS SchoolPay. This will be eplained and confirmed during the electronic onboarding the candidate receives through our applicant tracking system.
This is a mandatory condition of employment and applies to any new hire and anyone returning to the district after a break in service (regardless of the length of the break in service).
Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) has guidelines in place that are used to review an applicant’s past work performance to determine eligibility for employment. OCPS will take into consideration the nature of the action, as well as the age of the action, when making a determination about eligibility for employment.
Each applicant shall answer the Work Performance Questions based on his/her entire work history. OCPS conducts a thorough work performance history check with an applicant’s previous employers over the past five (5) years, including, but not limited to: any evaluations; certification issues (previous or pending revocations, suspensions, sanctions, or denials); resignations (i.e. while under investigation, misconduct, in lieu of termination, while on probation or performance improvement plan, mutual agreement, etc.); investigations; discipline/reprimands/suspensions (with or without pay); terminations; reasons for dismissal (including dismissal during a probationary period); non-reappointments (for performance reasons); references, etc.
All candidates for employment with OCPS will be fingerprinted and a criminal record history check will be completed. In Florida, the entire criminal record, including any arrest record, is revealed to school districts, including sealed and/or expunged records and military court proceedings.1 Applicants (including those seeking to be an employee, vendor, or non‐paid volunteer) must disclose this information even if told differently by a lawyer, judge, or other law enforcement individual. If you were given this information by a judge, then those written instructions would need to be provided to OCPS. Prior criminal records may or may not result in disqualification for employment; however, failure to disclose this information MAY disqualify you for employment. Information that must be disclosed includes any offense that occurred whether as a juvenile or adult; therefore, all adult and juvenile offenses must be listed.
An applicant’s criminal history includes any offense for which the applicant posted bail; entered a pre‐trial diversion program, pre‐trial intervention program, teen or drug court or juvenile program; had adjudication withheld; was convicted or found guilty; was placed on probation; pled guilty or no contest; was jailed or imprisoned; or appeared in court; as a juvenile or adult. In accordance with the Jessica Lunsford Act,2 please understand that you must list all adult or juvenile misdemeanors, felonies, military court proceedings, or other criminal offenses and/or records. Note: DUI and reckless driving are criminal offenses.
The School Board of Orange County, Florida will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to allow them to perform the essential functions of the job when such individuals request an accommodation. The ADA Department through the Office of Legal Services oversees and coordinates the Reasonable Accommodation process on behalf of the District. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to initiate the ADA Reasonable Accommodation Process, please click here.
Employment Services collects your social security number for legitimate business purposes during the recruitment, selection and hiring process with Orange County Public Schools. Your social security number will be used for completing and processing the following actions: Employment application for determining certification eligibility [1012.56 F.S.], Completion of federal I-9 form for the filing and issuance of federal employment forms [8 USC 1324a(b)], Completion of federal W-4 form for filing and issuance of federal employment forms [8 USC 1324a(b)], Florida Retirement Contribution Report [119.071(5)(a)6.b.], and Conducting criminal background screening [1012.56 F.S.]. Your Social security number is also used as a unique numeric identification within some of our systems and may be used for search purposes.
Florida offers a number of traditional and alternative educator preparation routes that lead to full Professional certification. Some routes are direct pathways to the Professional Certificate. For other routes, the individual first teaches under a Temporary Certificate and then moves to the Professional Certificate.
Direct Pathways to a Professional Certificate
Many applicants go directly to the full Professional Certificate by following one of these pathways:
Pathways to a Temporary Certificate
Applicants who do not currently meet all requirements for a Professional Certificate, can qualify for the Temporary Certificate with one of these pathways:
Pathways to Upgrade from a Temporary to a Professional Certificate
The individual who has been teaching under a Temporary Certificate can move to the Professional Certificate with one of these pathways:
See Upgrading from the Temporary to the Professional Certificate for important process, application, employment, and timeline information.
Florida has two reciprocity routes for certified teachers and administrators from another state that may be used to qualify for our Professional Certificate. The Florida Department of Education certification site details both reciprocity routes and includes instructions for application.
The OCPS alternative certification program, known as Professional Learning Certification Program (PLCP), is designed to offer non-education majors, who hold at least a bachelor's degree in a subject for which a professional certificate may be issued, the opportunity to be trained as an educator. The OCPS PLCP philosophy is based on a deep commitment to intense focus on student achievement by building a high-performing and dedicated team of teachers through a quality competency-based program. The goal of the PLCP is to expand the pool of educators to include non-education majors committed to making a positive impact on student achievement and providing quality educational opportunities.
In order to qualify for the OCPS PLCP, an applicant must:
After PLCP completion, the candidate may seek a professional certificate.
Get more information about the transition to teaching.
Get more information about PLCP.
For additional questions, you may contact the program administrators:
Bonnie Toffoli
Director
bonnie.toffoli@ocps.net
Kwani Woods
Senior Administrator
kwani.woods@ocps.net
A professional teaching certificate in the state of Florida is valid for five school years. It is renewable at the end of each five-year term.
Beginning in 2025, educators whose certificate expires on or after 6/30/2025, will need to earn 120 in-service points to include 20 in-service points in ESE SWD and 40 in-service points in approved READING courses IF the educator is renewing ANY of the following coverages:
Educators certified in Educational Leadership and/or School Principal must complete 20 in-service points in Florida Educational Leadership Standards.
For a complete list of renewal requirements, please visit the Florida Department of Education Educator Certification Renewal Requirements page.
OCPS employees that hold a valid state issued professional teaching certificate must apply for renewal online with the Florida Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification. The renewal application must be received in the Bureau of Educator Certification prior to the expiration date of the Professional Certificate.
If you have not logged onto the new Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) online application system, you will need to complete the New Account Setup and Initial On-boarding Process first, click here for instructions. Please indicate #48 – Orange County as your district affiliation, if not displayed already.
Once you have an account, apply online with the FLDOE for your renewal: click here to apply.
Once you log in you should see the screen below. Click on the "Select" button next to "Renewal Application" to start the application process with the Florida Department of Education.
Renewal fees are the responsibility of the employee. Please submit payment to the OCPS Certification Department after you have submitted your renewal application online to the FLDOE.
To pay by credit card, please call the Certification Department at: 407-317-3221 option #1.
To pay via payroll deduction, complete the Payroll Deduction Affidavit form New Account Setup and Initial On-boarding Process here, and send via courier to the RBELC 1st floor, Attention Certification Department or by email to certification@ocps.net. May 1st is the deadline to submit a payroll deduction form. After this date payment must be made by check or credit card.
For any questions, please call us at 407-317-3221, option #1 or email certification@ocps.net.
The employee portal MyOCPS can be used to view and verify in-service points. The portal is available 24/7 to all employees.
Once you have logged onto the portal, navigate to the Employee Self Service > Career and Job page and look for the Inservice Points Record link in the left column. Click the link to view your current record.
If your employment with OCPS has ended, and you would like to view your in-service record, you may visit Training and Participation Records – this page will require you provide your employee number and the last four digits of your SSN to access your records.
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Academic Adult teachers may be assigned to teach adult learners in the following areas:
Adult Basic Education (ABE)
General Educational Development (GED)
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
Applied Academics for Adult Education (AAAE)
Information regarding certification for Academic Adult Education teachers, visit the Career & Technical Education Certification page.
Candidates for full time degreed Career and Technical Education (CTE) vocational teaching positions must hold a valid State of Florida teaching certificate or valid Statement of Eligibility (SOE).
Candidates for full time non-degreed Career and Technical Education (CTE) vocational teaching positions must meet eligibility requirements for a local District issued certificate.
Additional information regarding certification for Career and Technical Education Vocational Teachers can be found here.
The application for a for the Career and Technical Education (CTE) District issued vocational certificate can be found here.
For additional questions regarding Career and Technical Education (CTE) certification, please contact Karen Migetz at: Karen.Migetz@ocps.net.
Out of field List as of December 18, 2024
The out of field list is posted in response to the NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS dictated by Florida Statute 1012.42(2):
NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.—When a teacher in a district school system is assigned teaching duties in a class dealing with subject matter that is outside the field in which the teacher is certified, outside the field that was the applicant’s minor field of study, or outside the field in which the applicant has demonstrated sufficient subject area expertise, as determined by district school board policy in the subject area to be taught, the parents of all students in the class shall be notified in writing of such assignment, and each school district shall report out-of-field teachers on the district’s website within 30 days before the beginning of each semester.
The Certification department serves as a liaison between Orange County Public Schools and the Florida Bureau of Educator Certification to ensure compliance with state statutes and rules relative to educator certification.
You may contact the Certification Department at 407-317-3221 or via e-mail at certification@ocps.net.
If you would like a copy of your contract from a previous year or sometime after June 30th, or are having difficulty printing or saving the PDF copy of your contract, please use the Individual Access Record request form found on the District Records website to request a copy. Please note, only signed contracts can be provided using this method. Unsigned contracts are not stored by the Records Custodian and cannot be provided.
The completed form may be mailed, e-mailed or faxed using the information below:
Orange County Public Schools
Records Custodian
P.O. Box 271
Orlando, FL 32802-0271
records@ocps.net
Fax (407) 317-3703
Professional staff (instructional and administrative or other professional staff) receive a written (electronic) employment contract each year - this Contract is what commits the District to employing you for the school year. Support staff and non-benefitted staff do not receive an employment contract.
The contract is available on the employee portal (MyOCPS ) as soon as negotiations with the bargaining units have been completed, Board approved and ratified, and any changes in salary are paid. Employees receive an email at that time to let them know the contract is available for review and electronic signature in the portal.
To access a copy of your employment contract, logon to the portal and navigate to Employee Self Service > Career and Job to find the Employment Contract link. Click on the link to open the contract document – the contract should be electronically signed each year (signing the contract will require you to provide your personnel number and network password to complete).
You may print a copy for your records at any time during the school year using the tool bar at the top of the document. If you would like to save an electronic copy of the contract, use the Print button to open the document as a PDF, and then download or save the PDF.
The contract link will be visible on the Employee Self Service > Career and Job page only through the end of the school year. It is removed on June 30th and will not appear again until the next year when negotiations with the bargaining units have again been completed.
If you would like a copy of your contract from a previous year or sometime after June 30th, or are having difficulty printing or saving the PDF copy of your contract, please use the Individual Access Record request form found on the District Records website to request a copy. Please note, only signed contracts can be provided using this method. If the contract was not signed, a copy cannot be provided. The completed form may be mailed, e-mailed or faxed using the information below:
Orange County Public Schools Records Custodian
P.O. Box 271Orlando, FL 32802-0271
records@ocps.net
Fax (407) 317-3703
The following types of contracts apply to teachers hired after June 30, 2011:
Probationary contract - individuals newly hired as instructional personnel and returning retirees hired by the district school board shall be awarded a probationary contract. Probationary contracts expire one day prior to the first day of pre-planning for the subsequent school year. Upon successful completion of the probationary contract and reappointment, the district school board shall award an annual contract to newly hired teachers and to re-employed retirees.
Annual contract – individuals who hole a valid Florida or District teaching certificate, and who have successfully completed a probationary contract with the district in the prior year without a break in service or who received an annual contract from the district in the prior year without a break in service and has not received pursuant to Florida Statute 1012.34 two (2) consecutive unsatisfactory evaluations, two (2) unsatisfactory evaluations in a three (3) year period, or three (3) consecutive needs improvement (NI) or a combination of NI and unsatisfactory evaluations. Annual contracts shall expire one day prior to the first day of pre-planning for the subsequent school year.
Temporary contract – are awarded to individuals who are replacing a teacher on a leave of absence or who are hired on or after the first day of the 2nd marking period. It is understood that there shall be no further expectation of employment upon expiration of the temporary contract. Temporary contracts shall expire no later than the last day of post-planning of the current school year.
For additional information, refer to Article VIII of the contract between the School Board of Orange County, Florida and the Classroom Teachers Association
Administrative and other professional staff will receive a written (electronic) contract each year, which is subject to annual review and renewal. The first 97 days of an initial contract are a probationary period. During the probationary period, the employee may be dismissed without cause or may resign from the position without breach of contract (Florida statutes 1012.33).
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There are two deferred options available through Additions Financial. Click here for details and freuqently asked questions about these options (this is a secure site and will require you to logon with your personnel number and password to view).
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The employee portal, also referred to as MyOCPS, can be used to view your paycheck stub (salary statement), change your W4 Tax Withholding form, update or change your direct deposit information, view/print/download your annual W2 statement, update or change your address or emergency contact information, request leave, complete your weekly timesheet, view your employee contract, and complete the annual insurance benefit enrollment, among other things. All employees have access to the portal 24/7 and can logon with their personnel number and network password.
Click here to access the employee portal. The portal can be accessed 24/7, and employees must logon with their personnel number and network password.
MyOCPS is the common name for the employee portal. All employees have access to the portal 24/7 and can logon with their personnel number and network password.
Employment verification requests that do not include salary or earnings information should be emailed to HR.Verifications@ocps.net. You will receive an email confirmation that we have received your request, and all verifications are processed in the order they are received. Should records be needed from the OCPS Records Department, additional time will be required to prepare an accurate verification. During high volume periods for such requests, it may take longer. We ask that you do not send in a duplicate of your request as it may delay the process.
Income verifications are completed by the Payroll department. Please fax a signed request to 407.317.3224 or send by email to Payrollsvcs@ocps.net. Employees must include how they wish to have the completed form distributed (pick up, mailed or faxed).
If you are requesting a performance evaluation or an effective status is needed, please send your request to OCPS.records@ocps.net.
In all cases, please include your personnel number and name when requesting a verification.
In order to ensure you are making qualifying payments under PSLF it is recommended that you submit the PSLF form annually. This lets you confirm you’re on track toward forgiveness.
The form can be electronically submitted to an authorized official for completion – the email address for the authorizing official at OCPS is HR.Verifications@ocps.net – when completing the PSLF form you will be asked for this address.
Use the PSLF Help Tool located at Student Aid PSLF on the Federal Student Aid government site to complete and submit the form for electronic processing. You must logon with your FSA ID and password in order to complete the form electronically. If you need help with your FSA ID or password, or with logging on, please visit Student Aid Help.
Please note, our staff cannot answer questions about your loans or progress towards forgiveness. We can only complete the PSLF form to confirm your qualifying employment with OCPS.
Instructional and administrative or other professional employees will receive an electronic employment contract each year - this Contract is what commits the District to employing you for the school year.
The contract is available on the employee portal (MyOCPS) as soon as negotiations with the bargaining units have been completed. Employees receive an email at that time to let them know their employment contract is available in the portal for review. The employee should review and electronically sign the contract as soon as possible after receiving the email letting them know it is available.
The contract link will be visible on the Employee Self Service > Career and Job page only through June 30th. The contract link is removed on June 30th and will not appear again until the next year when negotiations with the bargaining units have again been completed and new contracts are issued.
If you would like a copy of your contract from a previous year visit the District Records website for instructions on how to request a copy of your personnel records. Please note, only contracts that were electronically signed can be provided using this method. Unsigned contracts are not stored by our Records Custodian and cannot be provided.
You may also contact the Records Custodian at records@ocps.net.
Name Changes
In order for the district to process an employee name change the Request for Change in Permanent Record form must be completed. An updated copy of the Social Security card must be provided in order for the district to process the change.
Once the form is completed, bring a copy of the completed form, or currrent OCPS bad, and your new Social Security card to the Employment Services department, located on the first floor of the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center (RBELC) at the following address:
445 W. Amelia St.
Orlando, FL 32801
Visitor parking is available in the garage next to the RBELC – the garage entrances is on Ronald Blocker Ave.
Please note, normal business hours are Monday-Friday from 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM, except during the summer (June and July) when offices are closed on Fridays, but are open Monday through Thursday from 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM. You may contact Employment Services at (407) 317-3215 to confirm office hours before travelling to the RBELC campus.
After the name change has been processed, you may request an update your OCPS email address by entering a request at ITS Help Desk here – select Email from the options on the left and follow the prompts to complete the request.
Current Employee Address Changes
Address, phone numbers and emergency contact information are updated online in the employee portal MyOCPS. Navigate to the Employee Self Service > Personal Information page and use the Personal Profile link to update your address, phone number or emergency contact information as needed.
Certain employees cannot update their information through the portal – those in positions that require a driver license or those employees who have an exemption from public records. If the portal does not allow you to update the address, phone number or emergency contact information, please contact your school or department secretary for assistance.
Address Changes for those no longer employed at OCPS
If you are no longer employed by the district but would like to have your address changed in our system for future mailings, complete the Request for Change in Permanent Record form. Send the form, along with a copy of your driver’s license pr government ID to confirm your identity to the following address:
Orange County Public Schools
P.O. Box 271
Orlando, FL 32801
Attn: Employment Services
Instructional Job Descriptions can be viewed here.
Instructional jobs include classroom teachers as well as Mental Health Counselors, Social Workers, Audiologists, Diagnosticians, Staffing Specialists, Deans, Guidance/School Counselors, School Psychologists, Registered Nurses (RN), Media Specialists and others. These positions usually require some form of teaching certificate or professional license.
Classified job descriptions can be viewed here.
Classified positions at OCPS include administration and clerical support, custodial, food services, educational paraprofessional/aides, drivers, school health (LPNs), laborers, skilled crafts (tradesmen), fleet services, and uniformed security. The days per year and hours per year varies by position, and will be included in the job posting.
Administrative and professional job descriptions can be viewed here.
Administrative positions at OCPS are professional positions that include executive, instructional and non-instructional leaders. These positions are those with district-level administrative or policy-making duties, generally have broad authority for management policies and general school district operations related to the instructional and non-instructional program. Such personnel often report directly to the Superintendent or to the executive cabinet, and typically supervise other professional employees.
Other professional positions at OCPS include those that deal with technology (engineers, analysts, etc.), occupational and physical therapists, staff attorneys, accountants, managers and supervisors, program specialists, and others.
Representatives of the School Board of Orange County, Florida, and representatives of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association will meet to engage in negotiations regarding wages, and terms and conditions of employment.
Representatives of the School Board of Orange County, Florida and representatives of the Orange Education Support Professionals Association, will meet to engage in negotiations regarding wages, terms and conditions of employment.
Meeting Notices can be found here.
Bargaining updates for both CTA and OESPA can be found here.
Important information for the Classroom Teachers Association:
CRMs, SBUAs, PLCs – November 19, 2024
Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Committee – November 19, 2024
Grievance Form (revised 3-1-2019)
Important information for the Orange Education Support Professionals Association:
Schedule for Classified Ratification and Raise Payout Pending Ratification – November 8, 2024
NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES from the State of Florida Public Employees Relations Committee
Annual (vacation) leave is earned only by 12-month employees. The amount earned is governed by School Board policies GCD – Professional Staff Vacations and Holidays and GDD – Support Staff Vacations and Holidays, as well as by the contracts between the District and the recognized bargaining agents.
Details depending on the employee type can be viewed by expanding the topics below.
Administrative and other professional (non-bargained) employees shall begin accruing annual leave after thirty (30) days of employment. This shall be credited at the end of each month. The accrual rate is based on the hours worked per day and the number of years the employee has been with OCPS.
To be eligible for a monthly update, an employee must receive pay for 10 days in the given month, of which paid holidays are not included, and be in an active status on the last work day in the given month.
Twelve month administrators/other professionals accrue annual leave as follows:
Years of Service | Days per Year | Hours per Month* |
0-5 years | 18 | 12 |
5-10 years | 21 | 14 |
Over 10 years | 24 | 16 |
*Hours/month is given as an example of a 12-month employee who works 8 hours/day. A 12-month employee who works half-time would accrue half that number of hours.
Twelve month administrators may retain a maximum of sixty (60) days, or 480 hours (assuming the employee works an 8-hour day) of annual leave. Any credited leave beyond sixty (60) days, or 480 hours, will be removed (forfeited) on the paycheck that includes the attendance day December 31.
Annual leave (vacation) for twelve-month classified employees is governed by the School Board policy GDC – Support Staff Leaves and Absences and Article XVIII of the Contract between the School Board of Orange County, Florida and the Orange Education Support Professionals Association.
Twelve month classified employees shall begin accruing annual leave on their first anniversary date. An employee shall receive credit for five days at this time if he/ she is in the 12-month position on the anniversary date. Annual leave is thereafter credited at the close of each month.
The accrual rate is based on the hours worked per day and the number of years the employee has been with OCPS.
To be eligible for a monthly update, an employee must receive pay for 10 days in the given month, of which paid holidays are not included, and be in an active status on the last work day in the given month.
Twelve month classified employees accrue annual leave as follows:
Years of Service | Days per Year | Hours per Month* |
1-5 years | 10 | 6.67 |
5-10 years | 15 | 10 |
10-25 years | 20 | 13.33 |
Over 25 years | 25 | 16.67 |
*Hours per month is given as an example of an mployee who works 8 hours/day. For example, an employee who works 8 hours per day, who has been with the district between zero and five years, will earn 10 days per year – that is ten eight-hour days, or 80 hours total. The leave is earned over twelve months, or at a rate of 80 hours divided by 12 or 6.67 hours per month. An employee who works a different number of hours per day would earn leave at a different rate.
Twelve month classified employees may retain a maximum of 30 days of annual leave. Any credited leave beyond thirty (30) days will be removed (forfeited) on the paycheck that includes the attendance day December 31.
Any twelve month classified employee who leaves his/her employment for any reason shall receive payment for all of the unused annual leave accrued through his/her last duty day up to a maximum of thirty (30) days.
Any administrative or other professional employee who leaves his/her employment for any reason shall receive payment for all of the unused annual leave accrued through his/her last duty day up to a maximum of sixty (60) days (or 480 hours).
Administrators or professional employees who are 55 years or older and who have an annual leave payout value greater than $1500, and who retire or terminate, or who enter DROP, will have their annual leave payout sent to the Bencor Special Pay Plan 401(k). This is mandatory, and additional Information about this plan can be found here (this is a secure site that will require you to log on with your personnel number and network password).
The Annual Leave balance may be seen on the latest paystub, or through the OCPS Employee Self-Service portal.
The annual leave (vacation) balance you see on the Working Time > Time Accounts page is reflective of any time that has already been taken, or time in the future that has been requested by the employee and approved by the supervisor.
Annual Leave is approved by your immediate supervisor after an electronic Leave Request is entered through the OCPS Employee Self-Service portal.
When requesting Annual Leave before and after a scheduled holiday, or when the vacation days are not consecutive, you must complete separate Leave Requests – one for the days before the holiday, and one for the days after the holiday. Otherwise, if the request does not include a paid holiday you can create a single request for multiple consecutive vacation days.
Once entered, the request will be routed to your immediate supervisor for an electronic approval. Once approved, the system will send an email to let you know the request has been approved.
Annual leave may not be used until earned, unless approved in advance by the Superintendent.
The district, the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association (OCCTA) through the Labor Management Committee, and the Orange Education Support Professionals Association (OESPA) are excited to announce a significant step forward in supporting our employees and their families. Effective July 1, 2025, we will launch a Paid Maternity Leave Pilot Program for the 2025-2026 year for all employees.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to creating a workplace that values and supports our team members during life’s most meaningful moments,” said Superintendent Maria F. Vazquez.
"This is a monumental step forward for our educators and their families, recognizing the vital importance of supporting families during those critical early weeks! Congratulations to all teachers who stood together to advocate for this important benefit. This is a great start, and we’re committed to continue discussions, including exploring parental leave in the future," said OCCTA President Clinton McCracken.
OESPA President Ronald Pollard added, “OESPA is grateful for this additional benefit to our members. We appreciate the financial relief that paid maternity leave offers to new mothers and their families. We know that the value of postpartum recovery and the importance of this bonding time is even greater than contract language can express. We look forward to continuing to see OCPS employees benefit from the work of our collective bargaining process.”
Program Details:
This pilot program is an important first step, and we will continue exploring parental leave options for potential future implementation.
An employee should submit a long-term leave request form to their supervisor. The Long term leave form can be accessed here (form is still in development and will be added when completed).
The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act, or the PUMP Act is a law that gives nursing employees certain rights in the workplace.
Nursing employee are entitled to receive pumping breast-milk accommodations for a period of up to one calendar year following childbirth. An employee requesting these supports will notify their administrator when a need for nursing support is anticipated. The Superintendent or their designee will also review information and resources regarding these supports with employees who process a leave of absence for childbirth.
The Superintendent or their designee will ensure the following are provided if needed:
Management Directive A-18 clarifies the rights and responsibilities of all employee with regards to the PUMP Act.
Sick leave is defined as a employee who is unable to perform his or her duty in the school or work location on account of a personal sickness, accident, disability, or extended personal illness, or because of illness or death of the employee’s father, mother, parent in-law, brother, sister, husband, wife, child, or other close relative or member of his or her household.
Paid Personal Leave. Within his/her earned sick leave days, each employee shall be allowed up to six (6) days to be used for personal business or emergencies. A personal leave day may be used for any purpose at the discretion of the employee.
Unpaid Personal Leave. A leave of absence may be granted for a period of up to one (1) year for personal reasons or family illness. With respect to family illness, appropriate medical documentation may be required.
Sick and Personal Leave are defined and governed by School Board policies GCC – Professional Staff Leaves and Absences and GDC – Support Staff Leaves and Absences, as well as by the current contracts between the recognized bargaining agents.
No, there are not two separate leave balances. Personal days gives the employee the option of using sick leave in a “personal” way. Therefore, each time a personal day is used, the sick leave balance is reduced.
Each instructional employee shall be credited with four days of sick leave with pay on the first day of employment of each school year, as provided by the School Board policy GCC – Professional Staff Leaves and Absences and Article XVIII of the Contract between the School Board of Orange County, Florida and the Classroom Teachers Association. An employee shall earn one day of sick leave at the end of each month of employment, credited at the end of that month, until the max per year is reached. Employees are not eligible to accrue more than one day of sick leave for each month of employment per year. Sick leave shall be cumulative from year to year.
To be eligible for a monthly update, an employee must receive pay for 10 days in the given month and be in an active status on the last work day in the given month. All employees will see monthly accruals on the paystub that displays the last day of the month.
Additional sick leave hours may be earned for hours worked during summer school.
Ten month instructional employees will earn 10 days of sick leave per year, accrued as follows:
August | 4 days of sick leave plus first month accrual (5 days total) |
September | 1 day monthly accrual |
October | 1 day monthly accrual |
November | 1 day monthly accrual |
December | 1 day monthly accrual |
January | 1 day monthly accrual |
The monthly accrual for a 10-month instructional employee will depend on the work day - either 7.5 or 3.75 hours.
Eleven month instructional employees (school psychologists) will earn 11 days of sick leave per year, accrued as follows:
July | 4 days of sick leave plus first month accrual (5 days total) |
August | 1 day monthly accrual |
September | 1 day monthly accrual |
October | 1 day monthly accrual |
November | 1 day monthly accrual |
December | 1 day monthly accrual |
January | 1 day monhtly accrual |
The monthly accrual for a 11-month instructional employee will depend on the work day - either 8.0 or 4.0 hours.
Each employee shall be entitled to four days of sick leave to be credited at the end of the first month of each employment year, as provided by the School Board policy GDC – Support Staff Leaves and Absences and Article XVIII of the Contract between the School Board of Orange County, Florida and the Orange Education Support Professionals Association. An employee shall earn one additional day of sick leave at the end of each month of employment. However, no employee may earn, during a fiscal year, more than a total of one day of sick leave for each month of employment. Sick leave shall be cumulative from year to year.
Sick leave with pay shall not be used prior to the time it is earned and credited to the employee. To be eligible for a monthly update, an employee must receive pay for 10 days in the given month, of which paid holidays are not included, and be in an active status on the last work day in the given month.
Additional sick leave hours may be earned by 10-month classified employees for hours worked during summer school.
Transportation Employees employees earn leave based on the average number of hours worked per month divided by the total number of work days for that month.
Please refer to the Educational Support (OESPA) contract for specific rules and regulations governing the use of sick leave. Leave shall be reported in quarterly increments. There shall be no limit to the number of sick leave days which an employee may accrue.
Ten month classified/support employees will earn 10 days of sick leave per year, accrued as follows:
August |
4 days of sick leave plus first month accrual (5 days total) |
September | 1 day monthly accrual |
October | 1 day monthly accrual |
November | 1 day monthly accrual |
December | 1 day monthly accrual |
January | 1 day monthly accrual |
Twelve month classified/support employees will earn 12 days of sick leave per year, accrued as follows:
July |
4 days of sick leave plus first month accrual (5 days total) |
August | 1 day monthly accrual |
September | 1 day monthly accrual |
October | 1 day monthly accrual |
November | 1 day monthly accrual |
December | 1 day monthly accrual |
January | 1 day monthly accrual |
February | 1 day monthly accrual |
The monthly accrual for classified/support staff will depend on the hours worked per day and will vary depending on the job family. Transportation employees earn leave based on the average number of hours worked per month divided by the total number of work days for that month.
Each employee shall be entitled to four days of sick leave to be credited at the end of the first month of each employment year, as provided by the School Board policy GCC – Professional Staff Leaves and Absences. Thereafter the employee shall be credited with one additional day of sick leave at the end of each month of employment. However, no employee may earn, during a fiscal year, more than a total of one day of sick leave for each month of employment. Sick leave shall be cumulative from year to year.
To be eligible for a monthly update, an employee must receive pay for 10 days in the given month, of which paid holidays are not included, and be in an active status on the last work day in the given month.
Twelve month administrative/technical employees will earn 12 days of sick leave per year, accrued as follows:
July |
4 days of sick leave plus first month accrual (5 days total) |
August | 1 day monthly accrual |
September | 1 day monthly accrual |
October | 1 day monthly accrual |
November | 1 day monthly accrual |
December | 1 day monthly accrual |
January | 1 day monthly accrual |
February | 1 day monthly accrual |
Ten month administrative employees (some Assistant Principals) will earn 10 days of sick leave per year, accrued as follows:
August | 4 days of sick leave plus first month accrual (5 days total) |
September | 1 day monthly accrual |
October | 1 day monthly accrual |
November | 1 day monthly accrual |
December | 1 day monthly accrual |
January | 1 day monthly accrual |
The monthly accrual for an administrative/technical employee will depend on the work day - either 8.0 or 4.0 hours.
Sick leave is transferable in to Orange County Public Schools as long as the previous employer contributed to the Florida State Retirement System. A letter on the previous employer's letterhead should be mailed to the OCPS Payroll office. The name and social security number of the employee, the number of hours available for transfer and the date employment terminated must be included.
The mailing address for the Payroll office is: 445 West Amelia Street; Orlando, FL 32801
Once the leave has been transferred to OCPS from a previous employer, and according to school board policy GCC Professional Staff Leaves and Absences and policy GDC Support Staff Leaves and Absences, one hour of the transferred sick leave may awarded to the employee for each hour of accrued OCPS sick leave. For example, if thirty-two hours of sick leave were transferred from a previous employer, the employee would earn the right to use those thirty-two hours as they accrue OCPS sick leave; in other words, as the employee accrues OCPS sick leave, the transferred in sick leave is matched to the OCPS accrual until the full amount transferred in has been awarded.
Likewise, when an employee terminates employment with Orange County Public Schools, they can transfer accumulated sick leave to any agency that contributes to the Florida State Retirement System. However, some counties/agencies only accept sick leave for administrators and instructional employees. If an employee chooses not to transfer accrued sick leave to another agency, it will remain in OCPS’ records for use if they are subsequently rehired.
When a death occurs in the immediate family of an employee, the employee shall be granted leave without loss of pay for three (3) duty days to travel to and from the funeral location and attendance at the funeral. Bereavement Leave is not charged to the employees Sick Leave.
An employee shall be granted up to two (2) additional duty days to attend out-of-state funerals, provided they must use accrued leave (Sick Leave or Annual Leave), or may be taken without pay if the employee does not have any accrued leave for the additional bereavement leave.
Bereavement Leave with Pay shall be used within six (6) months of the date of death.
Bereavement Leave shall not carry over from year to year.
Immediate family is defined as spouse, same sex domestic partner, child, (natural, adopted. or step), mother, father, brother, sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent or grandchild.
Additional time may be granted at the discretion of the Administrator. This additional leave will come from the employee's accrued leave (Sick or Annual Leave), or taken without pay if the employee does not have any accrued leave.
Upon request, the employee must provide to his/her supervisor a copy of the obituary, funeral program or other document showing the name of the deceased, date of death, city of death and the deceased's relationship to the employee upon return from the leave. Failure to provide the requested information may result in the employee being charged accrued leave or without pay if the employee does not have any accrued leave.
Yes, School Board policies GCC – Professional Staff Leaves and Absences and GDC – Support Staff Leaves and Absences, allow any district employee to authorize his or her spouse, child, parent, or sibling who is also a district employee to use Sick Leave that has accrued to the authorizing employee.
Additionally, Florida Statute §1012.61 and Article XVIII B(10) of the Contract between the School Board of Orange County, Florida and the Classroom Teachers Association specify that any district employee may authorize any district employee to use sick leave that has accrued to the authorizing employee as follows:
The recipient must have at least a ten-day balance of accrued sick days in order to receive donated sick leave.
Any unused transferred sick leave shall be returned to the authorizing employee whose donated sick leave has not yet been used.
The employee who authorizes the donation must retain at least a ten-day balance in his or her own sick leave account.
The recipient of donated sick leave may not use the donated sick leave until all of his or her sick leave has been depleted, excluding sick leave from the Sick Leave Bank.
Donated sick leave shall have no terminal value.
Both the requesting and receiving employee (donor) must complete forms in order to authorize the donation. Required forms, instructions and FAQs can be found below (this is a secure site that will require you to log on with your personnel number and network password):
Donated Sick Leave Request (Family Member)
Donated Sick Leave Request (Non-family Member)
Donated Sick Leave – Donor Form (Non-Family Member)
How to add an electronic signature to the forms
FAQs for Donated Sick Leave (Non-Family Members)
The Sick and Personal Leave balances may be seen on the latest paystub, or through the OCPS Employee Self-Service portal.
The sick leave balance will be listed on the Time Accounts page as Sick Leave. The balance you see on the Working Time > Time Accounts page is reflective of any time that has already been taken, or time that has been scheduled in the future that has been requested by the employee and approved by the supervisor.
The personal leave balance will be listed on the Time Accounts page as Personal Sick Leave. Remember, this is not a separate leave balance. The personal sick leave balance gives employees the option of using sick leave in a “personal” way. Therefore, each time a personal sick leave is used, the sick leave balance is reduced. If the sick leave balance is zero, personal sick leave cannot be used (even if the personal sick leave balance is not zero). If the sick leave balance is four hours,
Some employees, who were employed by the district in an administrative position and who had a sick leave balance prior to June 30th, 2004 may also see a balance listed as Admin Sk Lv Bal 6/30/2004. This balance may be used for as approved sick leave once the normal sick leave balance has been depleted.
Sick or Personal Leave may be requested by entering an electronic Leave Request through the OCPS Employee Self-Service portal.
When entering Sick or Personal Leave before and after a scheduled holiday, or when the absence days are not consecutive, you must complete separate Leave Requests – one for the days before the holiday, and one for the days after the holiday. Otherwise, if the request does not include a paid holiday you can create a single request for multiple consecutive absence days.
Once entered, the request will be routed to the employee’s supervisor for an electronic approval. Once approved, the system will send the requesting employee an email letting them know the request was approved.
The Sick Leave Bank (SLB) is designed to ease the financial impact of serious illness, accident or injury. Although not an exclusive list, typical usage would be for heart attack, cancer, serious automobile accident or major surgery. Serious illness is defined as being hospitalized, homebound under psychiatric care, temporarily totally disabled, and/or not able to perform the activities of daily living. The Bank is not intended to provide benefits to those members having surgery which is not medically necessary or for normal maternity leave.
Sick Leave Bank Information Flyer
Sick Leave Bank Directions & Request form
For additional information, visit the Sick Leave Bank page on the website Sick Leave Bank page on the website, or contact Retirement Services by phone at 407.317.3227, or by email at Retirement.Services@ocps.net.
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees with job-protected leave for qualifying family and medical reasons and requires continuation of their group health benefits under the same conditions as if they had not taken leave. FMLA leave may be unpaid or used at the same time as employer-provided paid leave. Employees must be restored to the same or virtually identical position when they return to work after FMLA leave. Eligible employees receive a maximum of twelve work weeks of FMLA unpaid leave during any fiscal year (twelve-month period beginning July 1st through June 30th) within the employee’s annual contractual dates. All non-workdays are excluded towards the requested FMLA leave time.
Job protection. Employees who use FMLA leave have the right to go back to work at their same job or to an equivalent job that has the same pay, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment at the end of their FMLA leave. Violations of an employee’s FMLA rights may include changing the number of shifts assigned to the employee, moving the employee to a location outside of their normal commuting area, or denying the employee a bonus for which they qualified before their FMLA leave.
An employer cannot threaten, discriminate against, punish, suspend, or fire an employee because they requested or used FMLA leave. Violations of an employee’s FMLA rights may include actions such as writing up the employee for missing work when using FMLA leave, denying a promotion because the employee has used FMLA leave, or assessing negative attendance points for FMLA leave use.
Group health plan benefits. Employers are required to continue group health insurance coverage for an employee on FMLA leave under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. For example, if family member coverage is provided to an employee, family member coverage must be maintained during the employee’s FMLA leave.
Per school board policies GCC Professional Staff Leaves and Absences and GDC Support Staff Leaves and Absences, FMLA is not a separate type of leave but rather runs concurrently with other OCPS leaves, and employees are required to exhaust all accrued sick leave before unpaid leave begins.
For additional information, visit the FMLA web page here.
You may contact the FMLA team by during normal office hours by phone at 407-317-3652 or email FMLA@ocps.net.
Submit the FMLA Claim form located here.. Once completed, the form is routed automatically to the FMLA team for processing.
When a death occurs in the immediate family of an employee, the employee shall be granted leave without loss of pay for three (3) duty days to travel to and from the funeral location and attendance at the funeral. Bereavement Leave is not charged to the employees Sick Leave.
Bereavement Leave with Pay shall be used within six (6) months of the date of death.
Bereavement Leave shall not carry over from year to year.
Immediate family is defined as spouse, same sex domestic partner, child, (natural, adopted. or step), mother, father, brother, sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent or grandchild.
Additional time may be granted at the discretion of the Administrator. This additional leave will come from the employee's accrued leave (Sick or Annual Leave), or taken without pay if the employee does not have any accrued leave.
Upon request, the employee must provide to his/her supervisor a copy of the obituary, funeral program or other document showing the name of the deceased, date of death, city of death and the deceased's relationship to the employee upon return from the leave. Failure to provide the requested information may result in the employee being charged accrued leave or without pay if the employee does not have any accrued leave.
According to Article XVI Fringe Benefits of the contract between The School Board of Orange County, Florida and The Orange Education Support Professional Association twelve-month support employees will receive an additional paid day off each year on or about the employee’s birthday. The paid day off is to be taken on the employee’s birthday or on a date mutually agreed upon by the employee and his/her supervisor.
Birthday leave does not apply to administrative or other professional twelve-month employees.
Per school board policy GCC Professional Staff Leaves and Absences and GDC Support Staff Leaves and Absences:
For court appearances or duty performed pursuant to court process by any staff member during work hours, the staff member shall receive full pay, allowances, and/or reimbursements from the Board as follows:
When summoned to appear as a juror or as a witness (except as a character witness) in any civil or criminal action in which the staff member is neither plaintiff nor defendant, the staff member shall receive full pay, with the staff member retaining any payments or fees received from the court or other third parties for such appearance.
When summoned to appear as a defendant or as a witness in action arising out of and in the course of employment by the Board, the staff member shall receive full pay. Any payments or fees received from the court or other third parties for such appearances must be endorsed to the Board.
When a staff member is a litigant against the Board in a court of law or a state or federal agency proceeding, the staff member shall not be granted paid leave.
In all of the circumstances above, when the staff member is dismissed or excused by the court prior to 11:00 a.m., the staff member shall promptly return to work that day.
Per school board policy GCC Professional Staff Leaves and Absences and GDC Support Staff Leaves and Absences:
The Board will comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, 38 U.S.C. 4301, et seq.
To the extent the contract provides greater benefits and rights to the staff member than USERRA, the contract will control.
Refer to the Article XVIII Leaves of Absence of the contract between The School Board of Orange County, Florida and the Classroom Teachers Association for additional information on short and long term military leave.
Refer to Article XVII Leaves of Absence of the contract between The School Board of Orange County, Florida and The Orange Education Support Professional Association for additional information on short and long term military leave.
There are six Paid holidays for twelve month employees as follows:
Independence Day | July 3, 2025 |
Labor Day | September 1, 2025 |
Thanksgiving | November 27 and 28, 2025 |
Winter Holidays | December 24 and 25, 2025 |
Additional Paid holidays for twelve-month employees are as follows:
New Year’s Day | January 1, 2026 |
Martin Luther King Jr Day | January 19, 2026 |
Memorial Day | May 25, 2026 |
If a holiday or paid day off occurs on a Saturday, employees will celebrate the holiday on the Friday immediately before the Saturday holiday.
If a holiday or paid day off occurs on a Sunday, employees will celebrate the holiday on the Monday immediately following the Sunday holiday.
If a two-day holiday or paid day off occurs on a Saturday and a Sunday, the employee will celebrate the holidays on both the Friday immediately before and the Monday immediately following the Saturday/Sunday holidays.
Additional non-work/non-paid days for twelve-month employees are as follows:
December 26, 29, 30 and 31, 2025 (continuation of Winter break)
There are six Paid holidays for ten- and eleven-month employees as follows:
Labor Day | September 1, 2025 |
Thanksgiving | November 27 and 28, 2025 |
New Year’s Day | January 1, 2026 |
Martin Luther King Jr Day | January 19, 2026 |
Memorial Day | May 25, 2026 |
If a holiday or paid day off occurs on a Saturday, employees will celebrate the holiday on the Friday immediately before the Saturday holiday.
If a holiday or paid day off occurs on a Sunday, employees will celebrate the holiday on the Monday immediately following the Sunday holiday.
If a two-day holiday or paid day off occurs on a Saturday and a Sunday, the employee will celebrate the holidays on both the Friday immediately before and the Monday immediately following the Saturday/Sunday holidays.
Additional non-work/non-paid days for ten- and eleven-month employees are as follows:
November 24 through 26, 2025 | Thanksgiving Break |
December 22, 2025 through January 2, 2026 | Winter Break |
February 16, 2026 | President’s Day |
April 24, 2026 | Professional Day |
March 16 through March 20, 2026 | Spring Break |
Employees in an unpaid status before and after the holiday are not eligible to receive compensation for the holiday.
In order for the district to process an employee name change the Request for Change in Permanent Record form must be completed. An updated copy of the Social Security card must be provided in order for the district to process the change.
Once the form is completed, bring a copy of the completed form, or currrent OCPS bad, and your new Social Security card to the Employment Services department, located on the first floor of the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center (RBELC) at the following address:
445 W. Amelia St.
Orlando, FL 32801
Visitor parking is available in the garage next to the RBELC – the garage entrances is on Ronald Blocker Ave.
Please note, normal business hours are Monday-Friday from 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM, except during the summer (June and July) when offices are closed on Fridays, but are open Monday through Thursday from 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM. You may contact Employment Services at (407) 317-3215 to confirm office hours before travelling to the RBELC campus.
After the name change has been processed, you may request an update your OCPS email address by entering a request at ITS Help Desk here – select Email from the options on the left and follow the prompts to complete the request.
Address, phone numbers and emergency contact information are updated online in the Employee portal (MyOCPS ). Navigate to the Employee Self Service > Personal Information page and use the Personal Profile link to update your address, phone number or emergency contact information as needed.
Certain employees cannot update their information through the portal – those in positions that require a drivers license or those employees who have an exemption from public records. If the portal does not allow you to update address, phone number or emergency contact, please contact your school or department secretary for assistance.
If you are no longer employed by the district but would like to have your address changed in our system for future mailings, complete the Request for Change in Permanent Record form. Send the form, along with a copy of your driver’s license pr government ID to confirm your identity to the following address:
Orange County Public Schools
P.O. Box 271
Orlando, FL 32801
Attn: Employment Services
Section 119.071, Florida Statutes, titled General exemptions from inspection or copying of public records, permits qualifying employees to request protection of personal information from public records disclosure. Section 119.071 (4 )(d), Florida Statutes, provides that the "home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, an photographs" of certain categories of employees, their spouses, and their children are exempt from Section 119.07(1 ), Florida Statutes, and Section 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. If you believe you are exempt under one of these provisions you may complete the form requesting an exemption. You must provide all information and cite specifically the exemption category and the qualifying agency or employer.
A public records exemption exists for the identification and location information of the individuals below and their spouses and dependents. "Identification and location information" means the:
Complete the exemption form here (this is a secured site and will require you to logon with your network ID and password). The form will be automatically routed to the Human Resources department upon completion.
Your payroll preparer (often your school or department secretary) enters your payroll and will be the first person that can assist you with payroll, timesheet or paycheck questions. If your payroll preparer cannot answer your question or resolve an issue, he/she will contact Payroll Services for additional help.
The Payroll Services department website has a variety of information for employees and for those that process payroll.
The Payroll Department can be reached during normal office hours by calling (407) 317-3260 or by emailing PayrollSvcs@ocps.net.
The employee paycheck stub (or salary statement) includes all the details for a payment made. Your salary statement can be found online in the employee portal (MyOCPS) by navigating to the Employee Self Service > Payment page. The Salary Statement link on that page will present you with a list of all paychecks you have received in the year. Click on any row to view the statement. You may download or print a copy for your records if needed.
Please note the top of the salary statement includes the Attendance Period and Pay Date, as well as your payroll area at the time of the check.
For additional information about data included on the salary statement, please visit Paycheck FAQs here (this is a secure site that will require you to log on with your personnel number and network password).
The Payroll Cent$ newsletter is designed to provide payroll guidance to employees. Current and past issues of the Payroll Cent$ newsletter can be found on the Payroll Services department website.
For additional payroll information visit the Payroll Services FAQs.
When an offer of employment is made, the hiring manager or the school or department secretary will work with you to find an acceptable time for your pre-employment orientation. They will handle the scheduling and ensure you are prepared for the orientation.
The I-9 Employment eligibility form will be completed at the pre-employment orientation.
To complete an I-9 form, you'll need to provide documents proving your identity and eligibility to work in the US. Generally, this involves either a single document from List A or a combination of one document from List B and one from List C.
List A (Identity and Employment Authorization)
List B (Identity)
List C (Employment Authorization)
For example, a driver's license (List B) and a Social Security card (List C) can be used together to complete an I-9. Similarly, a U.S. passport (List A) alone can be used. You can find a complete list of acceptable documents and their categories on the USCIS website.
It is recommended that if you have had a recent name change that your documentation reflect that change – if your Social Security card or Drivers License do not reflect your current name, this could cause delays and require you to make an additional trip to the RBELC to provide the updated documentation.
The OCPS pre-employment orientation (PREO) session provides an opportunity for all the components of the pre-employment process to be held at one time and in one location.
All sessions are currently being held at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center (RBELC) located at 445 W. Amelia Street, Orlando, Florida. Parking is available on the first floor of the parking garage located next to the building. Upon entering the building, candidates will be directed through the process.
The school or work location offering employment registers the candidate for a specific PREO session, and provides the candidate with a confirmation email or letter. Candidates can expect the following when attending the PREO session:
Public Service Loan Forgiveness, or PSLF, forgives the remaining balance on your federal Direct student loans
Visit the StudentAid.gov to learn more about how to qualify and eligible loans for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
In order to ensure you are making qualifying payments under PSLF it is recommended that you submit the PSLF form annually. This lets you confirm you’re on track toward forgiveness.
The form can be electronically submitted to an authorized official for completion – the email address for the authorizing official at OCPS is HR.Verifications@ocps.net – when completing the PSLF form you will be asked for this address.
Use the PSLF Help Tool located here on the StudentAid.gov site to complete and submit the form for electronic processing. You must logon with your FSA ID and password in order to complete the form electronically. If you need help with your FSA ID or password, or with logging on, please visit the StudentAid.gov site for help.
Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF) forgives up to $17,500 if
Visit the StudentAid.gov to learn more about how to qualify, eligible loans and how to apply for Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF).
The Retirement Services department website contains information about retirement through the Florida Retirement System (FRS). The department can be reached during normal business hours at (407) 317-3227 or by email at Retirement.Services@ocps.net.
Florida Senate Bill 2100 requires a mandatory 3% Florida Retirement System (FRS) employee contribution on gross compensation effective July 1, 2011. The deduction will appear on the paycheck stub (salary statement) under the heading Detail of Miscellaneous Deductions on all payments received after July 1, 2011. The text will vary depending on the retirement plan for each employee depending on the retirement plan elected (for example, Regular Class Pension (HA)).
Florida Retirement System (FRS) members participating in the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) and re-employed retirees, who are not eligible to renew FRS membership, are not impacted by the mandatory contribution. If you have questions, contact Retirement Services at Retirement.Services@ocps.net or at (407) 317-3227.
If you have elected the Pension plan for your retirement, vesting is after six (6) years of service if hired by an FRS employer prior to July 1, 2011 or eight (8) years if hired by an FRS employer on or after July 1, 2011.
If you have elected the Investment plan for your retirement, vesting is after one (1) year of service.
Your paycheck stub (salary statement) can be accessed on the employee portal MyOCPS – once you have logged on navigate to the Employee Self Service Payment screen to view your most recent paycheck stub. In the box labeled Detail of Miscellaneous Deductions (located on the right side of the statement) you should find your retirement plan. It may read something like Regular Class Pension (HA) or Regular Class Invest (PA) depending on the plan you have chosen.
Instructional employees may receive an advanced degree salary supplement for holding a Master’s, Specialist, or Doctorate degree, subject to the following:
It is the employee’s responsibility to provide an official copy of the transcript as described above. The transcript can be mailed to
Orange County Public Schools
P. O. Box 271
Orlando, Florida 32802
Attn: Certification Services
Alternatively, you may have the institution email the official transcript to certification@ocps.net. Please note, this must be an official transcript and should come directly from the institution. We will not accept transcripts emailed to this address from your personal or OCPS email account.
If you have had a name change since receiving your degree, it would be helpful if you would also email certification@ocps.net this information – please include your personnel number and the old and new names. This will allow us to match the transcript(s) to the correct employee.
All verifications are processed in the order they are received. We appreciate patience during the peak times such as the summer months when volumes are expected to be high. You will receive communication to your ocps.net email address once your transcript has been verified and processed.
Once verified, any changes to pay will be retroactive back to the first duty day or the date your degree is conferred (whichever is later).
For benefited instructional employees, salary may be increased by full-time teaching experience and/or military experience. Employees or candidates can view the instructional placement schedule here to determine how experience credit would affect their salary.
It is the responsibility of the employee to provide, on forms furnished by the district, complete verification of all full-time teaching or work experience earned outside of Orange County Public Schools. Experience acceptable for salary credit purposes for teachers must be earned in an accredited public or private school. You must have a bachelor’s degree and been fully certified and served in a contracted position for at least one day over half of the required fulltime duty days for the experience to be acceptable for salary credit. No salary credit is given for substitute teaching, graduate assistantships, private nursery school or kindergarten teaching, unless the kindergarten was part of an elementary school. Click here for the Instructional Teaching and Work Experience Verification form. Completed forms should be returned to:
The School Board of Orange County Florida
P.O. Box 271
Orlando, Florida 32802
Attn: Employment Services
The form must be verified by the signature (in ink) and the address of an authorized official of the organization, school system or private school involved. Such official, if not the superintendent of the school or school district, must have been authorized to sign personnel records of the institution by the governing board of that institution. Include the title of the person who signs the completed Experience Verification form.
Military Experience
Credit for up to four years of active military duty in the armed forces of the United States with an honorable discharge may be granted upon presentation of the DD-214 form.
If you are seeking credit for military experience you must provide Employment Services at the address below with a copy of your DD-214 form.
The School Board of Orange County Florida
P.O. Box 271
Orlando, Florida 32802
Attn: Employment Services
Once verified, salary credit is given for previous teaching or military experience. Employees are paid at the level of zero experience (entry-level) until the completed experience verification forms are received and verified by the District. Once verified, updated salary if applicable will be retroactive to the employee’s date of hire. Verification forms must be received by the last duty day of the employee’s contract period to receive salary credit for the current school year for military or teaching experience.
Employees in benefited non-instructional classified position may be granted salary credit for full-time work experience related to the candidate’s new position with Orange County Public Schools. It is the responsibility of the employee to provide, on forms furnished by the district, complete verification of all work experience earned outside of Orange County Public Schools.
The work experience verification form can be viewed here. The form must be completed by the employee’s previous employer, and should be mailed to
Orange County Public Schools
P. O. Box 271
Orlando, Florida 32802
Attn: Compensation Services
or sent by FAX: (407) 317-3345 or e-mail at compensation@ocps.net
As outlined in the Contract between The School Board of Orange County, Florida and The Orange Education Support Professionals Association (Article XV, Item B(3), page 44): “For work experience verification submitted during the employee’s first year of employment, the employee’s wage rate shall be adjusted retroactive to the date of benefited employment or the beginning of the current fiscal year, whichever is later. For work experience verification submitted after the employees, one-year anniversary, the employee’s wage rate shall be adjusted on the pay period following the date the verification is acknowledged in writing by Compensation Services. Verification submitted after the employee’s one-year anniversary shall not be paid retroactive.”
The employee paycheck stub (or salary statement) includes all the details for a payment made. Your salary statement can be found online in the employee portal (MyOCPS) by navigating to the Employee Self Service > Payment page. The Salary Statement link on that page will present you with a list of all paychecks you have received in the year. Click on any row to view the statement. You may download or print a copy for your records if needed.
In the top of the left-hand column of the salary statement, there is a box labeled Summary of Earnings and Deductions. This box contains your wages for the attendance period identified at the top of the statement (just below your name and school or department name). The box also displays your calendar year-to-date wages, through the end of the pay period identified. For more information about your paycheck stub, you can visit the Payroll Services department website. If you think this information is incorrect, you may email PayrollSvcs@ocps.net or call (407) 317-3260 during normal business hours.
On the bottom of the left-hand column of your salary statement, there is a box labeled Earnings Information. This box will contain your current rate of pay – your hourly rate of pay, and for professional staff the annual salary. If you think this information is incorrect, you may email CompensationQuestions@ocps.net or call (407) 317-3387 during normal business hours.
When emailing with questions about your salary, please be sure to include your name and personnel number, along with your question or a description of what you think is incorrect. Emails are answered in the order they are received – please be patient during periods of peak volume.
School-based administrative positions at OCPS include Principal and Assistant Principal positions. The school-based Administrative salary schedule can be viewed here.
Administrative positions at OCPS are professional positions that include executive, instructional and non-instructional leaders. These positions are those with district-level administrative or policy-making duties, generally have broad authority for management policies and general school district operations related to the instructional and non-instructional program. Such personnel often report directly to the Superintendent or to the executive cabinet, and typically supervise other professional employees (school board policy GC Professional Staff) .
Other professional positions at OCPS include those that deal with technology (engineers, analysts, etc.), occupational and physical therapists, staff attorneys, accountants, managers and supervisors, and others.
The administrative and professional staff salary schedule can be viewed here.
District police positions at OCPS include the district and deputy police chief, police captains, police lieutenants, police sergeants and police officers.
The district police salary schedule can be viewed here.
Classified positions at OCPS include administration and clerical support, custodial, food services, educational paraprofessional/aides, drivers, school health (LPNs), laborers, skilled crafts (tradesmen), fleet services, and uniformed security. The days per year and hours per year varies by position, and will be included in the job posting.
The classified salary schedule can be viewed here.
Instructional positions at OCPS require a professional certification or industry license, and have a ten-month (197 day) work year. This includes both classroom and non-classroom teachers, mental health counselors, social workers, audiologists, speech therapists, diagnosticians, staffing specialists, deans, guidance/school counselors, registered nurses (RNs), media specialists and others.
The instructional open range schedule can be viewed here. The instructional placement salary calculator can be viewed here.
Instructional positions at OCPS also include school psychologists, which also require a professional certification but have an eleven-month (228 day) work year. The school psychologist placement schedule can be viewed here.
View the School Food Service Manager salary schedule here.
Instructional positions at OCPS include school psychologists, which also require a professional certification but have an eleven-month (228 day) work year.
The school psychologist placement schedule can be viewed here.
Supplements are additional salary for which an employee performs extra duties and/or responsibilities before, during or after the regular workday. They are designed in such a way as to allow individual schools flexibility in matching its employees’ resources to the needs of the student body, be it in the area of extracurricular activities, athletics, monitoring type duties, or representing the school.
There are four general categories for supplements: Athletics, Extracurricular, Co-curricular, and Academic Support.
View the Supplement Handbook here.
View the Hourly salary schedule here.
The Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) brand is more than a logo. It is who we are at our core and what we represent. It is symbolic of our promise to our families and the community.
Our brand style guide provides a set of parameters to ensure we remain consistent in how we share the OCPS story. The District Stylebook includes our logo and guidelines for it’s use, along with district colors, fonts, writing styles, and templates for presentations, letterheads, business cards, and virtual meeting backgrounds.
The official OCPS logo is our primary brand identity. The logo is mandatory on all external communication pieces created and distributed by the district. To view approved logos click here (this is a secure site that will require you to log on with your personnel number and network password).
For internal communications, it may be beneficial for a department to self-identify. Department identifiers may be accessed here.
Color is important in maintaining our brand identity and ensuring consistency across the district. To review approved color formula variations for print and digital formats, refer to the District Stylebook.
Email signatures for all employees should follow these guidelines:
Name
Title, department/school
OCPS logo or school logo
Physical Address
Phone number(s) and IP Cisco extension(s)
District webpage or school website address
Example:
Jason Smith
Director, Public Relations
445 W. Amelia St., Orlando, FL 32801
407.317.3200, ext. 2002303
www.ocps.net
Email signatures should not include quotes, scriptures, photos or other graphics.
Your email signature must be ADA compliant and should not include anything that cannot be read by a screen reader.
More examples and requirements for font and font size can be found on page 14-15 of the District Stylebook.
The District Stylebook can be referenced for details on logos, color, typography, fonts, email signatures and more.
New or returning employees must create or update their personal profile in the Orange County Public Schools Identity Management (MyID) system. This profile is what gives you access to the district network, and activates your email account.
You must have the following to begin this procedure: an OCPS personnel number. A unique personnel number is assigned to each employee when they are hired, and you will keep this personnel number through the entirety of your employment with OCPS (even if there are gaps in your employment). If you do not know what your personnel number is, check with your school or department secretary or supervisor to obtain this information before attempting to create or update your personal profile.
Go to MyOCPS and select Create/Update Your Profile from the menu. The system will walk you through the necessary steps to create or update your profile. Additional information can be found here: Creating Your MyID Profile Word.doc
For technical assistance, contact the Information Technology Services Help Desk by phone at (407) 317-3375.
Network passwords must be changed ever xx days. The system will begin reminding you to do so about ten days before the password will expire. To change your network password, go to MyOCPS and select Reset/Change your Password from the menu. Follow the prompts to complete the process.
Many of our district systems will synchronize with your network password – in other words, once you update your network password the systems will automatically begin using that password. This is often referred to as single sign-on or SSO.
Some systems or devices may need you to manually refresh or update the password – for example, if you have set up your cell phone or tablet to include your ocps.net email account, you will need to manually refresh or provide the new password on that device in order to continue accessing email through that device.
For technical assistance with a password reset, contact the Information Technology Services Help Desk by phone at (407) 317-3375.
You may report a technology issue by submitting Customer Care Request here. You may also call the Technology Services Help Desk by phone at (407) 317-3375.
To request access to ???? go to MyID and select Request Access to an Application from the menu. Follow the prompts to complete the process.
You may report a technology issue by submitting a Customer Care Request here. You may also call the Technology Services Help Desk by phone at (407) 317-3375.
If you feel your co-worker has violated Management Directive B-12, the Code of Civility, (Management Directive B-12) and you have spoken with your supervisor regarding the issue, however it’s not been rectified, you may file a written complaint (statement form) and send to email address professionalstandards@ocps.net. Your complaint will be handled by your Learning Community PS Senior Manager.
Equal Employment Opportunity(EEO) Complaint
Further, the School Board of Orange County, Florida, does not discriminate in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities, on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other reason prohibited by law. If you feel you have been discriminated against based on any of the above, a complaint may be filed with Orange County Public Schools Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer Keshara Cowans by completing this form. (EEO Complaint Form). The number to call the EEO office is 407-317-3411.
OCPS Whistleblower Program
Lastly, if you would like to file a complaint anonymously, please follow the guidelines below for the whistle-blower process; however, please remember if this is in reference to suspected Child Abuse, please ensure mandatory reporting guidelines are followed per Management Directive A-4. *DCF Website
Our whistle-blower process urges any employee or member of the public to report any known or suspected violation of law or policy, theft, fraud or abuse, or damage to the public's health, safety or welfare. The complaint procedures document can be found here, Whistle-blower Process.
The procedure guarantees that no action will be taken against any employee who makes a good faith complaint. Complaints may be filed anonymously and will be treated as confidential to the maximum extent. The telephone number to file a complaint is (407) 317- 3976.
Orange County Public Schools is committed to cultivating high ethical standards and to promoting conduct that strengthens public trust and confidence in the integrity of the school system.
The information submitted using the Fraud Report Form will be submitted directly to the school system’s Office of Legal Services to facilitate the investigation.You may submit a fraud report by using the online Fraud Reporting form.
For more information and FAQs regarding this, view the Office of Legal Services guidelines here.