On Monday, Oct. 7, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposed a pay increase for Florida’s educators. This budget recommendation would increase teacher pay to a minimum of $47,500, a $10,000 increase from the current minimum. Currently, Florida is ranked No. 26 in the United States for starting salary for educators. This pay increase would bring Florida up 24 slots, all the way to the second-highest paying state for teachers.
Gov. DeSantis is sure that this pay raise will encourage college graduates to go into education, more than in past years. He said during a visit to Middleburg High School, “My proposal to increase the minimum salary for teachers to $47,500 will help alleviate this shortage and elevate the teaching profession to the level of appreciation it deserves.”
Currently, many people believe that teachers are overpaid and underworked. Many Florida teachers have to buy their own classroom supplies and decorations. The pay raise wouldn’t give them supplies to use in their classes but it would give them roughly $10,000 more a year to spend on whatever they choose. Gov. DeSantis is passionate about the Florida education system and has already “secured historic achievements,” such as reducing the waitlist for multiple scholarships and providing financial support to allow Florida teachers to take career-boosting classes.
Courtesy: Nicole Honeywill on Unsplash
There are, however, some who see problems with this proposal. The Superintendent of Schools in Escambia County Malcolm Thomas brings up the point of retaining teachers with experience. By raising the minimum salary of teachers to $47,500, brand new teachers will be paid the same as teachers who have been in the school for years. According to Wear TV, Thomas stated, “Teachers who have just started versus those who have 5 to 6 years experience all being paid the same thing, that will become an issue over time that will have to be resolved.”
JoAnna Morino, a teacher for six years in Central Florida schools, agrees that this is a potential problem. She explained that by increasing the starting pay to a veteran’s pay, it could lead the veteran teachers to feel that they aren’t valued. She also stated that “the biggest problem in education is teachers leaving the profession.”
While the proposal does have potential problems, many people believe it is a step in the right direction. According to Business Insider, more than 20% of teachers work two jobs. The National Education Association has found that over the last decade, starting teacher salaries across the United States have dropped 2.9%, and the average teacher salary has dropped 4.5%. While the teaching profession is one that will always have jobs available, it’s not one that many people choose. This is mainly due to the low paying salary. Many educators and Gov. DeSantis himself believe that the pay increase will encourage more people to teach.
The Governor’s final budget recommendation is due on Dec. 1. He says that he is also working on other proposals that should come to light before Jan. 2020.
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