Education Leaders Frustrated with Unions Over Delays in Teacher Pay Increases

By The News Service of Florida

Members of the State Board of Education are considering ways to put more pressure on local teachers’ unions, amid delays in planned salary increases for teachers in some districts.

The board Wednesday discussed efforts to distribute money approved last year by the Legislature. The money is part of a multi-year effort to raise minimum teacher pay statewide to $47,500. School districts in Orange, Putnam and Santa Rosa counties have not distributed the money, though Putnam and Santa Rosa will begin next month.

Orange County School Board Chairwoman Teresa Jacobs said union negotiations have been difficult. “We still need to be paying our teachers more,” Jacobs said. “We have too few entering the education field to begin with. We are losing teachers, so everything that delays this is unconscionable.”

Union leaders say the process of raising teachers’ pay is complicated and that experienced teachers should be paid more than new teachers.

Lawmakers this month approved a proposed budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year that would provide an additional $200 million for teacher salary increases. The Legislature has not formally sent the budget to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has veto power.

“I continue to be frustrated by some districts who withhold these salary increases and, in my view, go against the will and the intent of the Legislature in getting these raises to our teachers who desperately need it,” State Board of Education member Ryan Petty said Wednesday.