For the last two decades, Pinellas County Public Schools have reaped the benefits of a local property tax referendum approved by voters every four years.
Approximately $60 million was generated from the half-mill property tax last school year, with about $44 million, or 80%, going to teacher pay.
The remaining funds are allocated to reading, music and arts programs, as well as updating technology.
About $4.6 million of the total revenue was shared with charter schools as part of state law requirements.
Pinellas County's referendum was first implemented in 2004 and has won voter support every four years since. In the November 2020 election, nearly 80% of voters chose to renew the referendum.
In 2020, the referendum cost the average single-family homeowner with a homestead exemption about $7.15 a month.
During a review of the tax funds at Tuesday's school board meeting, board members touted the referendum as a crucial tool for strengthening the district's programs and supplementing teacher pay.
For the 2022-23 school year, the referendum funds added $5,734 annually to each Pinellas teacher's salary.
That supplement is expected to increase to $6,328 for the current school year.
"It [referendum] gives us a leg up. It allows us to attract really high quality teachers," said Raegan Miller, chairperson of the Independent Citizens Referendum Oversight Committee, which monitors how the referendum money is spent.
Miller, who also helps lead the Florida Freedom to Read Project, added that having competitive pay is "everything" as schools continue to experience a teacher shortage.
The Pinellas County school district employs about 6,851 teachers and has about 116 vacancies, according to their most recent count. Teacher vacancies can fluctuate throughout the year.
Surrounding districts like Pasco, Sarasota and Manatee have similar local property taxes that help fund their public schools.
Two years ago in Hillsborough County, a tax referendum that would have levied an additional 1 mill on property owners failed by a slim margin.
School board members there are planning to bring the referendum back this fall, pointing to high inflation, cost of living and the district's comparatively lower pay that are combining to push teachers out of the district.
Teacher pay has stagnated in Florida, where average salaries rank near the bottom in the U.S.
In October, Pinellas County schools raised teacher starting salaries to $52,000 and increased other salaries by an average of 4.5%.
