SANTA ROSA COUNTY - Teachers in Santa Rosa County fear their performance-based pay could soon be taken away.

Monday, teachers union representatives and chief negotiators for the school board met a special magistrate at an impasse meeting, and they discussed a host of issues including the step increase.

Channel Three's James Jackson joins us from Milton with more.

Take a look at this billboard sponsored by the teachers union.

It's symbolic to what they say are happening to their paychecks.

Gayla Reimer is a Social Studies teacher at Navarre High School. She says she has more work this school year compared to years past.

"My student load increased by over 25 students, which means I have a lot more papers to grade, I have a lot more parent conferences."

Reimer worries soon she may not be rewarded for her hard work. The school district wants to eliminate a step increase.

That's a small increase in pay teachers receive based on performance.

Tim Wyrosdick: "In times of economic devastation, when budgets are really being reduced significantly, we just feel like we need the flexibility to hold that step, until better economic times return."

Over the past two years, the district has reduced 15 million dollars from operating expenses to balance its budget.

Reimer says it's a bonus they deserve.

"The step increase is the only raise that we were counting on getting. It's kind of like a cost-of-living raise. However we do know our insurance is going up, so in reality my paycheck will be going down."

Teachers worry if the step increase is eliminated that's money that could be gone for good.

Magistrate will have about 20 days to make a recommendation about the step increase.

If one side rejects it, the school board will make the final decision.

The amount of money at stake for both sides is roughly two million dollars a year.

Reporting from Milton, James Jackson, Channel Three News. Santa Rosa Teachers Fear Their Performance Pay May Be Taken Away