Teachers across Florida will be getting raises after Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday he intends to approve $800 million toward pay increases as part of next year's $112.1 billion proposed Florida state budget.
According to a press release, DeSantis approved the funds to raise the minimum pay for teachers as well as increasing veteran teacher salaries.
“Over the last three years, we have worked hard to increase teacher pay,” DeSantis said in the release. “We have invested more than $2 billion in teacher pay, and with rising inflation, this could not come at a better time. This will help Florida to recruit and retain great teachers.”
Once approved, the minimum salary for teachers will increase to at least $47,000, according to the release. That ranks ninth in the nation, and is up from the $40,000 (26th in the nation) in 2020.
DeSantis was accompanied by several teachers and principals during his Monday news conference at the Renaissance Charter School in Wellington.
“What is nice about this for teachers is that you made a commitment for our teachers that you would raise base pay to sustain a living,” Renaissance Charter School principal Christopher Glinton said. “This is very important. From a leadership perspective, when I am looking for talent to hire, I don’t want salary to be a deciding factor in that a teacher won’t join our organization because they can’t afford it.”
Added Loren Temes, a second-grade teacher at the school: “I don’t think people always understand the countless hours we put into our work. I truly love my students. I am constantly thinking of things to help teach them and it is nice to be appreciated and be respected.”
Public school teachers and principals also received $1,000 bonuses last year through federal coronavirus relief funds.
