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Florida’s average teacher salary is ranked 50th out of all 50 states and D.C., contributing to teacher and staff shortages, according to the Florida Education Association.
This is the second year in a row that Florida has been ranked the lowest in the nation.
The average salary for teachers is almost $55,000 annually, while the minimum living wage is just over $61,000.
“We are facing the worst teacher and staff shortage we have ever seen,” said Andrew Spar, the president of the Florida Education Association. “And we’ve been dealing with it for several years.”
He said there’s a 78-cent pay gap between teachers and other professionals in Florida, and teacher salaries have not increased with inflation.
“Teacher pay in Florida has been falling, it has not been increasing, and it is driving teachers out of the profession.”
Spar said over the last 15 years, the state has enacted policies that make it harder to raise teacher pay.
Spar also said this shortage is causing more students to rely on substitute teachers.
“It means that not every student in Florida is being taught by professionally trained, certified teachers,” he said.
The Florida Education Association stated in a press release that current salaries and policies are contributing to lower test scores and less support for students.
3 Responses to “Florida ranked lowest of all 50 states in teacher salary”
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Florida is actively neglecting its children by disregarding their education and jeopardizing their future.
When I see data like this, it’s hard to understand how Governor DeSantis can talk about how great Florida is. It feels like he’s living in a parallel universe. Remember when he debated the Governor of California, trying to compare the two states? Here’s an important data point to keep in mind: California ranks #1 in average teacher salary. If a state doesn’t invest in the education of its children, it has no future. Florida isn’t just a place for retirees, it’s also home to young people, and they deserve a future!
Bartenders make more money. It only makes sense for 62 plus persons who are subject to severe age discrimination and are being pushed out of their primary career. They can teach, get the summer off, and double with Social security or pensions. It could be there final career and they can give back to the children. Sad that both teachers and the over 50 crowd are discriminated against. Call it the last two acceptable prejudices.