Writer: Jerrica DuBois
2 min read December 2021 — Gov. Ron DeSantis has begun work on the education budget for the upcoming fiscal year. His office has made over $1 billion in recommendations, which he recently announced in a news conference at Jacksonville Classical Academy.
Although the state ranked third overall for education in a US News and World Report, Florida schools have their share of challenges, including low salaries for educators, teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms. DeSantis is looking to address some of those issues and continue to improve Florida’s education system.
Over half of the $1 billion budget is earmarked to boost pay to a minimum starting salary of $47,500. Florida ranks 46th in the nation in teacher’s salary, according to worldpopulationreview.com. If educators are not paid, it will inevitably broaden the teacher shortage as interest in the profession decreases.
Duval County Schools, for example, has taken a major hit in its teaching staff. The number of open positions for educators in Duval has increased by nearly 58%. Staffing drops like this call for the district to rely on substitute teachers to fill the gap. And while the available number of substitutes is the highest it’s been in five years, there is still not enough to fill the open positions and cover teacher absences. That leaves underpaid teachers unable to take time off without wondering who is going to look after their students.
DeSantis’ proposed budget also calls for a second round of $1,000 bonus payments for some teachers and principals. According to the approved memorandum, nearly 177,000 educators who were missed in Florida’s initial distribution of the bonus will receive their funds in this second round.
The state also continues to look for other sources of funding for education. In a $2.5 billion deal struck by DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe, there is a push to legalize sports gambling across the state. As a legalized activity, the revenues would be taxed. At that juncture, the state Educational Enhancement Trust Fund would be the recipient of the taxed dollars made from the betting revenues.
While there will be tweaks and revisions before the 2022-2023 fiscal year budget is approved, the recommendations from the governor’s office include the following:
- $600 million to continue to boost teacher pay to reach a minimum starting teacher salary of $47,500
- A second round of $1,000 bonus payments for some teachers and principals
- Raising per-student funding to $8,000 each school year
- $421 million for school safety and for mental health initiatives, including $42 million for school hardening grants, and $4 million for safety initiatives at Jewish Day Schools
- $15.5 million to eliminate the Florida Standards Assessment and instead use a new progress monitoring tool for schools
- $500,000 for the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative to expand access to the program in every school district in the 2022/2023 school year.
- $534 million to support workforce education programs, which includes $100 million for the Workforce Development Capitalization Grant program, which will create and expand workforce development programs in school districts and state colleges
