Florida Senate Panel to Take Up Teacher Pay

Florida Senate Panel to Take Up Teacher Pay

By The News Service of Florida

A day before the 2020 legislative session starts, a Senate panel will consider legislation aimed at increasing teacher pay, a top priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis. The bill (SB 1088), sponsored by Senate Education Chairman Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah, is meant to be a vehicle for the governor’s pitch to set a $47,500 minimum salary for public school teachers.

It will be considered Jan. 13 by the Senate Education Committee.

The bill says school districts would be able to use money from a “teacher salary enhancement allocation” to boost teacher pay. The bill adds the allocation would be included in the fiscal 2020-2021 state budget. “A school district that meets the teacher salary enhancement requirements specific in the General Appropriations Act (the budget) may use any additional funds provided in the allocation for any district operating expenditure,” the bill says.

Under the governor’s $602 million teacher-pay plan, school districts would be required to pay teachers a minimum salary of $47,500. DeSantis also wants to repeal the “Best and Brightest” teacher-bonus program and replace it with a new $300 million bonus program.

The pair of proposals are expected to be among the highest-profile issues during the 2020 legislative session, which starts Jan. 14. Teacher compensation is likely to play a key role in budget negotiations for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1.

11 Responses to "Florida Senate Panel to Take Up Teacher Pay"

  1. I’m amazed the lock step leftists in the Teacher’s Union and County School Boards have not attempted to win their teachers pay raises by lying and promising to stop indoctrinating leftist agenda, bring back prayer in schools, and stuff like that when Republicans are in charge.
    Then when they elect their next Andrew Gillum type of Governor revert back to their baby killing, immoral sex promoting, God and Jesus hating natural selves.
    But by then the teacher’s raise will have been in place for 2 to 3 years.

    Wake up teachers:
    You are NOT the priority of your Union and School Board…leftist agenda is…not you useful idiots (useful to your union and School Board that is).

  2. What about a raise for all those state employees involved in the purchasing process for their agencies? These hard working people make sure that taxpayers do not pay too much for goods and services and that no quid pro quo arrangements give business to undeserving vendors.

  3. Thank goodness for the Florida legislature. At least they will take up improving teacher pay while Rocky Hanna spends his time standing at the steps of the legislature screaming insults and hurling wild accusations at our elected officials Rocky pays our teachers the 46th lowest salaries in Florida. Rocky you keep yelling and screaming at the top of your lungs while people who are you are yelling at are taking care of our teachers. Rocky only takes care of his political cronies!

    1. Why should I, as a taxpayer, be forced to pay more for public school teachers? I don’t want to send my child to public school, so why should I pay for increased public school teachers’ salaries? Public schools produce the poorest results, why should we pay even more for their services?

      1. Because someday, one or more of those Kids will be taking care of you in some form or fashion. Public Schools need every ones help.

        1. Where is the logic in that? I have to pay for someone I don’t know to be poorly educated, and in return I get the promise that this stranger is going to “take care of me” on day? Can I pass?
          Just because public schools “need help” doesn’t justify forcing me to help them. I don’t want the service they’re offering.
          There is nothing you could say or argument you can make to warrant forcing a person to pay for a service he or she doesn’t want; aside from the fact that this service in particular is of garbage quality.

  4. Its somewhat of a stretch for individuals of normal IQ and mental faculties to think honest politicians can support pay increases for teachers when the vast majority are teaching anti American leftist agenda subject matter to Florida’s kids.
    Get real folks these honest politicians will not get reelected by pandering to leftist agenda driven teachers and school administrators.
    If teachers unions and local school boards want raises for teachers they will force teachers to stop cramming leftist agenda down our kids throats th the classrooms.

    1. Good post, Snidester.
      I want to know why I have to pay the school board components of Leon County Property Tax every year when I have no children in their poor to mediocre-performing classes?

      That is de facto Taxation Without Representation.

      1. Exactly. Typical gov’t. We’ll offer you something for “free”, except you have to pay a lot of money for it, the quality is horrendous, and you have no choice.

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