What the bill does:
SB 1782 provides certainty and stability to our members by allowing school districts to offer “extended contracts” of up to three years.
What’s Next
SB 1782 has yet to receive its committees of reference.
Companion Bill
Vote History
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Our Position
We support this bill.
Talking Points
- At the end of every year school year, Florida educators face great uncertainty. Even teachers who are rated effective or higher can be out of a job without any reason being given or prior notification that they might be terminated. That is simply not right.
- We have a massive teacher shortage in Florida and this bill will address one of the issues driving teachers out of our classrooms.
- Especially right now, students and entire school communities need stability. Simply providing school districts to offer continual employment to teachers who have met established criteria would help to provide stability.
- Florida’s educator shortage hurts students and deprives them of the one-on-one attention they deserve and that their parents rightfully expect. While there is no one single cause for the educator shortage, the instability in the labor force caused by annual contracts is undoubtedly a contributing factor.
- Florida’s educator shortage cannot be solved with recruitment or retention alone. There must be a concerted effort to engage in both. Yet annual contracts hurt out-of-state recruitment and disincentivize retention. Providing the options for districts to offer extended contracts, therefore, helps tackle the twin problem of recruitment and retention.
- It is well past time for Florida to join with 46 other states and offer job protections to teachers who are certified, have completed a multi-year probationary period and continue to demonstrate their teaching ability.
- Every worker, regardless of profession, should be entitled to due process.
Video Updates
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