About That Funding for the Governor’s New Teacher Compensation Scheme…

On 10/16/2019, Suzanne Pridgeon, Deputy Commissioner, Finance and Operations, Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), presented the Florida State Board of Education 2020-21 Education Budget Request to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. What was glaringly absent from the budget request? Funding for the Governor’s recently announced $603 million teacher raises.

Here is the FLDOE’s Legislative Budget Request for teacher compensation:

The $603 million omission did not go unnoticed.

Vice Chair Montford at 31:30:

Vice Chair Montford: “You want to talk about teacher salaries at all or is that for another day? … We’ll do that another day…”

Senator Simmons at 32:33:

Senator Simmons: “My question has to do with Slide 7 and, as I understand it, you’re not ready to speak on any updates with respect to the “Investing in Great Teachers” issue, with respect to the recent announcement by the Governor as to increasing salaries for teachers… As to whether that would be a categorical, whether it would be something that would supplant the $284.5 million that you set, here, for the Best and Brightest Teachers and Principals, that would be transferred over to the salaries and then there would be an issue of another $300/$350 million that would fit that gap that the legislature would be looking for?”

Chair Stargel: “You can try answering that to the best of your ability or if you have no comment or don’t know, you’re welcome to say that as well.”  

Ms. Pridgeon: “I would have to come back to you with that…”

Senator Simmons: “I understand that it may be premature to ask that question.” 

Ms. Pridgeon: “And we’re continuing to work with the Governor’s office and have discussions about this…”

Chair Stargel: “I guess the question is the Commissioner does not have a teacher increase as part of his LBR…”

Ms. Pridgeon: “Yes.”

Well, that was interesting… Have you ever seen a more jovial committee meeting? It was almost like the senators were trolling FLDOE Commissioner Richard Corcoran…

It appears the Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee joins House Speaker Jose Oliva and the rest of us, in having more than a few questions regarding the Governor’s new teacher compensation scheme.  

Stay tuned. (but don’t hold your breath.)