A Crisis in the Classroom: Why Florida’s Education System Falls Behind

A teacher from Leon County mentioned that the impasse presented by Leon County Schools this past week shows just how powerless the teachers union in the right to work state of Florida really is. Why Florida’s education system falls behind. 

Leon Superintendent Rocky Hanna Declares Labor Impasse

December 4, 2024

Florida New Signal

“Teaching in Florida: A Profession in Peril?”

Knowledge is power, and although education is the foundation of a strong society, in Florida, that foundation is in shambles. Florida likely has the most diverse and rapidly growing student populations in the United States, and yet stands at the bottom of the scale in public education funding and teacher salaries. Which is why Florida’s education system falls behind.

The average salary for veteran teachers is about $50,450 before taxes, according to Mazur — $3,450 more than a beginning teacher.  Tallahassee Democrat – Alaijah Brown, Feb. 9, 2024

For those Tallahassee teachers, this translates to long hours, scarce resources, and financial strain in a state that touts its sunny appeal but treats public education with a laissez-faire attitude that rivals Washington’s concerns the homeless. Because of the lack or concern over school funding, the teachers either have to use money from their salaries to fund classroom needs, or do without!

Why is the Florida government like this? Why are its teachers so unfairly undervalued, and what does this mean for future generations of students? This article delves into the factors behind Florida’s lagging support for education, the challenges of its growing student population, and whether the state’s educators are truly being treated equitably.

The question remains: will the state invest in the people shaping its future?

As far back as 2018, when the Florida State Government decided to put public education on the shelf. According to the information provided by The Florida Policy Institute:

In the wake of the Great Recession, many states cut education funding dramatically after state and local revenues plummeted. While many states have rebounded, Florida’s investment per-pupil remains 22.9 percent beneath pre-recession levels, after adjusting for inflation … forcing local school districts to make cuts in teacher positions, programs or services, or ask local communities to increase their property taxes.

(CLICK to see current information on EDUCATOR PAY IN AMERICA)

Has anything changed?

Now, with 2025 just around the bend this issue has become somewhat personal for my wife and me in that our son and his wife are both teachers here in Florida. Frankly speaking, we grow weary of watching them work their lives away for the paltry income they receive in comparison to the rest of the world.

They love what they do, and they are very good at it; teachers of the year, parents reviews are always excellent or better, students cry at the end of year when leaving them, and still, like all other Florida State Government employees, their pay is ridiculously low, and the support for their classrooms is even worse.

And, please, don’t bring up the, “well, they get the summers off” excuse.

Their summers are never “off,” and unless you personally know a teacher, i.e., a real teacher, you have no idea what they have to accomplish during those few weeks of “summer vacation.”

In fact, the teachers we know DO NOT receive “vacation” hours, but are instead, granted “personal time.” Time to be used as sick days, or time for family needs, most of which is never used because they cannot afford time away from the classroom.

The caveat to this “personal time” is that they accumulate hundreds of hours that they cannot claim … well, not UNTIL THEY RETIRE from the school district. In other words, if they leave the district for any reason before retiring, they lose all personal time pay entirely. However, if and when they do retire from said school district, they are remunerated for less that 50% of the accumulate time. A trick of the paycheck that is tantamount to extortion, i.e., stay, or no pay.

And yet the Florida Department of Education brags about their system!

According to the May 7, 2024 report published by the (of course) Florida Department of Education:

Florida Ranked #1 in Education for Second Year in a Row

Tallahassee, Fla., May 7, 2024 – Today, U.S. News & World Report announced that Florida is again ranked #1 in the nation for education. The publication’s Best State ranking is based on a combination of strong performances in higher education and K-12 metrics.

“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida again ranks number one in education,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “By focusing on core academic subjects and excellence in the classroom, Florida stands ahead of the rest.”

Also announced today, Florida ranked #1 in the Parent Power Index by the Center for Education Reform. The assessment focuses on alternative pathways and educational choices that parents and students have access to beyond traditional public schools.

How ironic!

If Florida educators are earning such accolades, why are they not remunerated accordingly? One would suspect that the FDE would want to retain as many as they can! 

The Florida Education Association

Because I am not a member, the most recent information I can find on their website is from 2022, two years ago, and it says:

Florida has a severe shortage of teachers, bus drivers, paraprofessionals and other support staff needed to provide all our students with the education they deserve and need. The coronavirus pandemic exacerbated the problem, but shortages were a pre-existing condition. Florida has long-standing difficulties with retaining and recruiting public school employees.

Here are ‘some’ … long-term actions that will help retain and recruit the teachers and support staff needed to provide all our students with the education they deserve.

Long-term, starting with the next legislative session lawmakers can:

• Right-size funding for our students and public schools. The state with the nation’s fourth-largest economy can do better than a ranking of 44^th in the nation for funding education. Let’s get Florida into the top 10 states. Our students deserve strong public schools.
• Repeal the 20-plus laws that have kept teacher pay down. Current laws have created an experience penalty that leaves some educators with 10 or more years of experience making the same as new recruits.
• Get Florida into the top 10 states in the nation in average pay. Our state has lagged near the bottom of national rankings in average pay for teachers and staff. In the most recent figures from the National Education Association, average teacher pay in Florida ranks 48^th.
• Give teachers a chance to earn long-term contracts. Since 2011, all hires face a pink slip every year. Promoting job stability will allow teachers to stand up for kids and families without fearing the loss of their job.
• Eliminate fees for teacher certification and renewal for all teachers.

Non-glorified Babysitters: THIS IS NOT WHAT TEACHERS ARE THERE FOR!

Parents too, often expect the classroom to be the place where their children learn manners, respect, hygiene, courtesy, and concern for others. Trying to teach students that are throwing tantrums, threatening and tormenting other students, threatening the teacher, coming to school hungry, dirty, and half asleep, and some so much worse, is making the ACTUAL JOB OF THE TEACHER something nearly impossible to accomplish.

Based on 3,095 job postings related to public school teachers, special education was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 93% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for individualized education programs (iep), lesson planning, disabilities, classroom management and curriculum development were also highly sought.

As for common skills, teaching was the most desired skill found in job postings for public school teachers, followed by communication, planning, writing, progress reporting and management.

Society to often expects our teachers to become psychologists, sociologists, behavioural specialists, as well as surrogate parents while they work 60 – 70 hours a week dealing with issues, lesson planning, grading, counseling, and tutoring, and all of this for not much more than minimum wage.

In fact, I am told verbatim:

Skill sets like these are now expected by all teachers not just ese, however, a lot of schools are going to full inclusion classrooms which means that the regular classroom teachers are expected to meet the needs of all levels of learning, maintaining all accommodations & interventions, meetings, and so forth. The only thing we are not expected to do is write the IEP’s. 

And to think, despite all of this:

THERE ARE McDonalds WORKERS BEING PAID AS MUCH OR MORE THAN MANY OF FLORIDA’S TEACHERS.

What can you do to help?

Again, we turn to the Florida Teacher’s Association for ideas:

Immediately:

• Stop bashing teachers and staff! Show educators respect by uplifting the great work they do instead of demonizing them to score political points.
• Empower teachers and staff to do their jobs. Treat teachers as professionals by allowing them to choose curriculum materials and methods to meet the state standards.
• Demonstrate a commitment to professional excellence. Restore funding for teachers who earn a national board certification.
• Reduce standardized testing. Let teachers teach and students learn. Teachers did not go into the profession to be test administrators; we must minimize standardized testing so we can maximize learning opportunities.
• Reduce endless paperwork. Any paperwork that is not directly related to improving student performance, should not be part of educators’ jobs.
• Support our schools! Lawmakers must act to address the roots of the shortage, but efforts by local communities to support students, teachers and staff are always appreciated — through volunteering, donations or by simply speaking up for local public schools.
• Spend time in our shoes. Elected officials can spend a week, or a day, in our schools with teachers and/or staff to better understand what our students need.
• Encourage teachers and staff who have left to return by making these immediate changes and addressing long-term solutions.

Conclusion:

Unless something is done, unless you, the parents whose children are affected by this, speak up to your state government, it is YOUR CHILDREN that are going to suffer for it. Why? Because our quality teachers are eventually going to have to move on to something that will afford them a living.

Having children of their own who would like to attend college; a home to care for; lives to live; bills to pay, just like everyone else, all those who have the skills that the Florida Department of Education brags about, remain unappreciated. Besides recognition of their skill, they need to be fairly be compensated for being THE EDUCATORS they are.