fbpx

Funneling more public dollars to private schools is not in the best interest of our students or our state

TALLAHASSEE — While Gov. Ron DeSantis continued to call Tuesday for a new and unprecedented level of taxpayer support for private schools, educators throughout the state rallied Monday in support of Florida’s students and neighborhood public schools.

“Pouring more public tax dollars into vouchers for unaccountable, often religious, private schools is simply misguided,” Florida Education Association President Fedrick Ingram said Tuesday. “Our students need strong neighborhood public schools. If the governor and Legislature want to do what’s best for this state, they must fund our future. We need to invest in the neighborhood public schools that educate the majority of Florida’s children, invest in the success of our students, and invest in the teachers and staff who work in our schools.”

Thousands of teachers and education staff professionals, most wearing “red for ed,” came out Monday in counties throughout Florida to demand that state leaders support public education. At rallies and marches and on social media, they were united in delivering one message during the March 4th Day of Action: For the sake of our students and our state, fund our future.

For more than a decade, Florida has failed to prioritize our students’ success. We spend less on public education today than before the Great Recession — in inflation-adjusted dollars, more than $1,000 less per student. We have one of the largest economies in the nation, but we are in the bottom 10 states in per-pupil spending.

Anemic funding affects Florida’s students in a myriad of ways, and districts statewide frequently struggle to maintain school facilities and meet safety mandates. Inadequate funding also affects schools’ ability to recruit and retain qualified teachers and staff. Florida’s public schools had more than 4,000 teaching vacancies at the start of this school year and are projected to have more than 10,000 at the start of the next school year. As with per-student spending, we are near the bottom nationally for educator salaries, ranking 45th in teacher pay and 47th in pay for our education staff professionals.

Instead of improving salaries, Gov. DeSantis proposes a revamped bonus program for teachers.

“A one-time bonus is not the same as a fair salary,” Ingram said. “Teachers and education staff need paychecks they can count on. If we want to get and keep more teachers in our classrooms, we need to pay teachers like the professionals they are.”

CONTACT: Joni Branch, (850) 201-3223 or (850) 544-7055

###

The Florida Education Association is the state’s largest association of professional employees, with more than 140,000 members. FEA represents pre K-12 teachers, higher education faculty, educational staff professionals, students at our colleges and universities preparing to become teachers and retired education employees. 

 

Statement Re. State Board of Education Meeting: “Teachers and education staff are tired of being vilified.”

Today, the Florida Education Association released a statement following the state board of education meeting held in Winter Park.“FEA, our members and their local unions fight every single day to…

Read more about Statement Re. State Board of Education Meeting: “Teachers and education staff are tired of being vilified.”

Statement on Signing of SB 1746: “Florida’s leaders continue to stand in the way of workers fighting for better life.”

Today, Governor Ron DeSantis’ signed into law an anti-worker bill (SB 1746) sponsored by Senator Blaise Ingoglia (R-11) that would place additional mandates on any person seeking to join their…

Read more about Statement on Signing of SB 1746: “Florida’s leaders continue to stand in the way of workers fighting for better life.”

Florida’s Budget Keeps Teachers Near the Bottom for Salary

Tallahassee – Today, the Florida legislature released their proposed budget that once again does not go far enough in supporting students, parents, teachers and education staff professionals in the state.…

Read more about Florida’s Budget Keeps Teachers Near the Bottom for Salary

FEA leadership: We stand united for our students

Let us say first, we are honored to lead this organization and to have you as a member.

Read more about FEA leadership: We stand united for our students

Help for kids who are hurting

Through Steve’s Club, Cori Lake Walls wants to ensure no grieving student goes unnoticed or unheard

Read more about Help for kids who are hurting

$1,200 worth of turkeys and a lot of love

Lakisha Ayers-White and her student volunteers provide supplies for Thanksgiving dinners with all the trimmings to dozens of union families

Read more about $1,200 worth of turkeys and a lot of love