An old adage says a teacher’s day never ends.

They meet with students before class, stay late and take grading and planning home. But Baltimore County Public Schools teachers, unhappy with the loss of a promised raise, have begun finishing their days when the school day ends.

County schools teachers will not perform any work outside of their contractually obligated hours, according to the Teachers Association of Baltimore County. This kind of collective move from unionized employees is often called a “work-to-rule” action.

There isn’t a set end date for the action, said Cindy Sexton, president of the teachers union.

The teachers are upset because they agreed to a contract three years ago that called for a 5% raise by this year, but the cash-strapped county government is refusing to fund that pay increase.

Sexton said the agreement “wasn’t negotiated in good faith.” Raises were supposed to take affect July 1, but now won’t kick in until Jan. 1, 2026, she said.

“The fact that it is not being funded, it’s just disappointing and disheartening for our educators,” Sexton said.

The school system said it reached agreements with four unions representing state, county and municipal employees, supervisors, administrators and education support professionals in late May.

The compensation package includes a 5% average increase for staff, according to an email from superintendent Myriam Rogers sent to county employees on May 30.

Gboyinde Onijala, a spokesperson for Baltimore County Public Schools, said negotiations with the teachers’ union is ongoing. The union and the school system met Monday afternoon, according to the teachers union.

Teachers have been fighting for the originally agreed upon compensation package for weeks — some pointing out that the superintendent was recently awarded a 5% raise from the school board.

They’ve protested across the district and spoke out during school board meetings.

Earlier this month, the educators held a news conference in Towson where they said the lack of a salary increase will result in teacher turnover. At least 800 teachers have left each school year in the last four years, according to the union. On top of that, school counselors and psychologists, also represented by the teachers union, will lose pay after being reclassified from 12-month to 10-month employees.

Parents have been notified about the union’s actions.

A Rodgers Forge Elementary School parent received a letter saying teachers will be “solely” working within their contracted hours: Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. A teacher’s work often starts earlier and carries through the weekend.

“We do not take this decision lightly nor is it to express dissatisfaction with the work climate or culture at RFES,” the email said. “We are doing this in an effort to convey to the BCPS School Board that our previously negotiated compensation should be honored.”

The message asked anyone who wants to support them to email the school board and request the full funding of the compensation agreement.