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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to instructional personnel and school 2
administrator salaries; providing a short title; 3
amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; increasing the minimum base 4
salary for certain teachers; revising the purpose of 5
the classroom teacher and other instructional 6
personnel salary increase; revising requirements for 7
funding for the increase; revising the definition of 8
the term "minimum base salary"; revising the 9
requirements for specified school district reporting 10
requirements beginning on a date certain; requiring 11
school districts to provide a specified plan to the 12
Department of Education beginning on a specified date; 13
providing requirements for the plan; providing charter 14
school requirements relating to such plan; requiring 15
the department to establish and oversee a phased 16
implementation of specified requirements; providing 17
requirements for such implementation; requiring the 18
department to provide specified grants to certain 19
school districts and charter schools for specified 20
purposes; amending s. 1012.22, F.S.; provi ding 21
requirements for school district relating to salary 22
structures and schedules; requiring performance salary 23
schedules to include step -based salary increases and 24
compression relief supplements; providing requirements 25
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for such increases and supplements; providing that 26
certain duties qualify as additional academic 27
responsibilities; providing an effective date. 28
29
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 30
31
Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Save Our Teachers 32
Act." 33
Section 2. Subsection (14) of section 1011.62, Florida 34
Statutes, is amended to read: 35
1011.62 Funds for operation of schools. —If the annual 36
allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each 37
district for operation of schools is not determined in the 38
annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing 39
the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as 40
follows: 41
(14) CLASSROOM TEACHER AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL 42
SALARY INCREASE.— 43
(a) The Legislature shall annually apportion an amoun t of 44
funds provided in the Florida Education Finance Program to : 45
1. Assist school districts and charter schools in their 46
compliance with the requirement that the minimum base salary for 47
full-time classroom teachers, as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a), 48
and certified prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida 49
Education Finance Program is at least $65,000 $47,500 or to 50
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provide salary increases to instructional personnel, as defined 51
in s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d), in a manner that best meets the needs 52
of the school district or charter school. 53
2. Assist with school districts and charter schools in 54
addressing salary compression pursuant to this subsection and s. 55
1012.22(1)(c). 56
3. Provide funding for an annual cost -of-living adjustment 57
and longevity pay for experien ced teachers. 58
(b) This subsection does not apply to substitute teachers. 59
The amount and distribution methodology for the funding shall be 60
specified in the General Appropriations Act , including a 61
methodology that accounts for the number of experienced te achers 62
and their years of service. The allocation must be sufficient to 63
adjust the entire salary schedule . 64
(c)(a) The term "minimum base salary" means the lowest 65
annual base salary reported on the salary schedule for a full -66
time classroom teacher , with additional considerations for 67
regional economic conditions and salary progression for 68
experienced classroom teachers . A full-time classroom teacher 69
may not receive a salary less than the minimum base salary as 70
adjusted by this subsection. 71
(d)(b) A school district or charter school shall maintain 72
the minimum base salary achieved for classroom teachers provided 73
in the prior fiscal year and may not reduce the salary increases 74
in any subsequent fiscal year. 75
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(e)(c) Before distributing any additional funds re ceived 76
over the prior fiscal year, each school district and each 77
charter school shall develop a salary distribution plan that 78
clearly delineates the planned distribution of funds in 79
accordance with modified salary schedules, as necessary, for the 80
implementation of this subsection. 81
1. Each school district superintendent and each charter 82
school administrator must submit its proposed salary 83
distribution plan to the district school board or the charter 84
school governing body, as appropriate, for approval. 85
2. Each school district shall submit the approved district 86
salary distribution plan and the approved salary distribution 87
plan for each charter school in the district to the department 88
by October 1 of each fiscal year. 89
(f)1.(d) Beginning August 1, 2026 2024, and each year 90
thereafter, in a format specified by the department, each school 91
district shall provide a report to the department that includes 92
a detailed summary explaining the school district's prior year's 93
expenditures pursuant to this subsection. The report must 94
include: 95
a. The amount of the increase to the minimum base salary 96
for classroom teachers and the school district's salary schedule 97
for the prior fiscal year and the fiscal year in which the base 98
salary is increased. 99
b. The use of supplement al funds from state teacher 100
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compensation grants established under paragraph (i), if 101
applicable, and the outcomes of efforts to address pay 102
compression. 103
c. District-specific progress as determined under the 104
department's phased implementation plan pursuant to paragraph 105
(h). 106
2. Each charter school governing board shall submit the 107
information required under this subparagraph to the district 108
school board for inclusion in the school district's report to 109
the department. 110
(g)(e) Although district school boards and charter school 111
governing boards are not precluded from bargaining over wages, 112
the classroom teacher and other instructional personnel salary 113
increase must be used solely to comply with the requirements of 114
this subsection. A district school board or ch arter school 115
governing board that is unable to meet the reporting 116
requirements in paragraph (f) (d) due to a collective bargaining 117
impasse must provide written notification to the department or 118
the district school board, as applicable, detailing the reason s 119
for the impasse with a proposed timeline and details for a 120
resolution. 121
(h)1. Beginning August 1, 2026, and each year thereafter, 122
in a format prescribed by the department, each school district 123
shall provide to the department a localized salary adjustmen t 124
plan to address pay compression and provide equitable 125
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compensation to experienced teachers while considering the 126
unique economic condition and fiscal capacity of the school 127
district. The plan must include the following: 128
a. The step-based salary increas es included in the school 129
district's performance -based salary schedule. 130
b. An analysis of the school district's economic 131
conditions and the district's plan to adjust salary schedules 132
and salary increases accordingly to reflect differences in the 133
local cost of living, property tax revenue, and state funding 134
allocations. 135
c. Any state-level support provided to the district to 136
help address pay compression. 137
2. Each charter school governing board shall submit to the 138
district school board the information re quired under 139
subparagraph 1. for inclusion in the school district's plan. 140
3. The department shall establish and oversee a phased 141
implementation of the requirements of this paragraph and 142
paragraph (i). The phased implementation must: 143
a. Prioritize small er school districts and charter schools 144
and those with the greatest financial need or teacher retention 145
challenges in the initial phase. 146
b. Establish a timeline to phase in the requirements of 147
this paragraph to larger school districts. 148
c. Ensure that the requirements of this paragraph are 149
fully implemented by the 2030 -2031 school year. 150
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d. Include an annual needs assessment for each school 151
district and charter school to determine funding priorities and 152
adjust the phased timeline as necessary. 153
e. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the 154
contrary, coordinate the integration of funding sources to meet 155
the requirements of this subsection and s. 1012.22(1)(c), 156
including: 157
(I) Redirected lottery revenue. 158
(II) Public-private partnerships. 159
(III) Administrative efficiency savings. 160
(IV) Grants and tourism -linked revenue. 161
4. The department shall require school districts and 162
charter schools to annually report on the impacts of the plan 163
under subparagraph 1. and use the data from such reports to 164
refine its implementation strategy. 165
(i) The department shall provide state teacher 166
compensation grants to smaller school districts and charter 167
schools with limited financial resources to supplement local 168
budgets to help school districts and charter scho ols meet pay 169
differential goals without compromising other essential 170
services. 171
Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and paragraph 172
(b) of subsection (3) of section 1012.22, Florida Statutes, are 173
amended to read: 174
1012.22 Public school personnel; powers and duties of the 175
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district school board. —The district school board shall: 176
(1) Designate positions to be filled, prescribe 177
qualifications for those positions, and provide for the 178
appointment, compensation, promotion, suspension, and dismissal 179
of employees as follows, subject to the requirements of this 180
chapter: 181
(c) Compensation and salary schedules. — 182
1. Definitions.—As used in this paragraph: 183
a. "Adjustment" means an addition to the base salary 184
schedule that is not a bonus and becomes part of the employee's 185
permanent base salary and shall be considered compensation under 186
s. 121.021(22). 187
b. "Grandfathered salary schedule" means the salary 188
schedule or schedules adopted by a district school board before 189
July 1, 2014, pursuant to subparagraph 4. 190
c. "Instructional personnel" means instructional personnel 191
as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a) -(d), excluding substitute 192
teachers. 193
d. "Performance salary schedule" means the salary schedule 194
or schedules adopted by a district school board pursuant to 195
subparagraph 5. 196
e. "Salary schedule" means the schedule or schedules used 197
to provide the base salary for district school board personnel. 198
f. "School administrator" means a school administrator as 199
defined in s. 1012.01(3)(c). 200
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g. "Supplement" means an annual addition to the base 201
salary for the term of the negotiated supplement as long as the 202
employee continues his or her employment for the purpose of the 203
supplement. A supplement does not become part of the employee's 204
continuing base salary but shall be conside red compensation 205
under s. 121.021(22). 206
2. Cost-of-living adjustment.—A district school board may 207
provide a cost-of-living salary adjustment if the adjustment: 208
a. Does not discriminate among comparable classes of 209
employees based upon the salary schedule under which they are 210
compensated. 211
b. Does not exceed 50 percent of the annual adjustment 212
provided to instructional personnel rated as effective. 213
3. Advanced degrees. —A district school board may use 214
advanced degrees in setting a salary schedule for ins tructional 215
personnel or school administrators if the advanced degree is 216
held in the individual's area of certification. 217
4. Grandfathered salary schedule. — 218
a. The district school board shall adopt a salary schedule 219
or salary schedules to be used as the basis for paying all 220
school employees hired before July 1, 2014. Instructional 221
personnel on annual contract as of July 1, 2014, shall be placed 222
on the performance salary schedule adopted under subparagraph 5. 223
Instructional personnel on continuing contract or professional 224
service contract may opt into the performance salary schedule if 225
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the employee relinquishes such contract and agrees to be 226
employed on an annual contract under s. 1012.335. Such an 227
employee shall be placed on the performance salary schedule and 228
may not return to continuing contract or professional service 229
contract status. Any employee who opts into the performance 230
salary schedule may not return to the grandfathered salary 231
schedule. 232
b. In determining the grandfathered salary schedule for 233
instructional personnel, a district school board must base a 234
portion of each employee's compensation upon performance 235
demonstrated under s. 1012.34 and shall provide differentiated 236
pay for both instructional personnel and school administrators 237
based upon district-determined factors, including, but not 238
limited to, additional responsibilities, school demographics, 239
critical shortage areas, and level of job performance 240
difficulties. 241
5. Performance salary schedule. —By July 1, 2014, the 242
district school board shall adopt a performance salary schedule 243
that provides annual salary adjustments for instructional 244
personnel and school administrators based upon performance 245
determined under s. 1012.34. Employees hired on or after July 1, 246
2014, or employees who choose to move from the grandfathered 247
salary schedule to the performance salary schedule shall be 248
compensated pursuant to the performance salary schedule once 249
they have received the appropriate performance evaluation for 250
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this purpose. Each school district must ensure th at salary 251
structures promote fairness and livable wages while adapting to 252
local economic factors. Each school district shall collaborate 253
with local stakeholders, including classroom teachers and 254
community representatives, to ensure the performance salary 255
schedule addresses regional disparities and teacher retention. A 256
school district may not unilaterally implement changes to the 257
performance salary schedule that exacerbate salary inequities 258
for instructional personnel or school administrators and must, 259
during any collective bargaining negotiations of salary 260
schedules, tailor solutions to the needs of instructional 261
personnel and school administrators. 262
a. Base salary.—The base salary shall be established as 263
follows: 264
(I) The base salary for instructional per sonnel or school 265
administrators who opt into the performance salary schedule 266
shall be the salary paid in the prior year, including 267
adjustments only. 268
(II) Instructional personnel or school administrators new 269
to the district, returning to the district afte r a break in 270
service without an authorized leave of absence, or appointed for 271
the first time to a position in the district in the capacity of 272
instructional personnel or school administrator shall be placed 273
on the performance salary schedule. 274
b. Step-based salary increases.—Step-based salary 275
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increases shall be established within the performance -based 276
salary schedule to offer consistent and predictable salary 277
increases based on the years of experience of instructional 278
personnel or school administrators. Suc h increases must be 279
higher for the instructional personnel and school administrators 280
with more years of experience and must align with the school 281
district's fiscal capacity, cost of living, and teacher 282
retention needs and meet the following minimum require ments: 283
(I) For instructional personnel or school administrators 284
with at least 5 years of experience but not more than 10 years 285
of experience with the school district, a minimum pay increase 286
of $1,500 per year. 287
(II) For instructional personnel or school administrators 288
with at least 10 years of experience but not more than 20 years 289
of experience with the school district, a minimum pay increase 290
of $2,000 per year. 291
(III) For instructional personnel or school administrators 292
with at least 20 years of experi ence with the school district, a 293
minimum pay increase of $3,000 per year. 294
c.b. Salary adjustments.—Salary adjustments for highly 295
effective or effective performance shall be established as 296
follows: 297
(I) The annual salary adjustment under the performance 298
salary schedule for an employee rated as highly effective must 299
be at least 25 percent greater than the highest annual salary 300
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adjustment available to an employee of the same classification 301
through any other salary schedule adopted by the district. 302
(II) The annual salary adjustment under the performance 303
salary schedule for an employee rated as effective must be equal 304
to at least 50 percent and no more than 75 percent of the annual 305
adjustment provided for a highly effective employee of the same 306
classification. 307
(III) A salary schedule shall not provide an annual salary 308
adjustment for an employee who receives a rating other than 309
highly effective or effective for the year. 310
d.c. Salary supplements.—In addition to the salary 311
adjustments, each district school b oard shall provide for salary 312
supplements for activities that must include, but are not 313
limited to: 314
(I) Assignment to a Title I eligible school. 315
(II) Assignment to a school that earned a grade of "F" or 316
three consecutive grades of "D" pursuant to s. 10 08.34 such that 317
the supplement remains in force for at least 1 year following 318
improved performance in that school. 319
(III) Certification and teaching in critical teacher 320
shortage areas. Statewide critical teacher shortage areas shall 321
be identified by the State Board of Education under s. 1012.07. 322
However, the district school board may identify other areas of 323
critical shortage within the school district for purposes of 324
this sub-sub-subparagraph and may remove areas identified by the 325
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state board which do not apply within the school district. 326
(IV) Assignment of additional academic responsibilities , 327
including as a departme nt chair, an instructional coach, or a 328
mentor to instructional personnel . 329
e. Compression relief supplements. — 330
(I) In addition to the salary adjustments and step -based 331
salary increases, each district school board shall provide for a 332
compression relief s upplement for experienced instructional 333
personnel and school administrators. Such supplements may be a 334
one-time supplement that occurs when instructional personnel or 335
school administrators reach a specified number of years of 336
employment with the school dis trict or may be recurring 337
increases for instructional personnel and school administrators 338
who reach specified years of employment with the school 339
district. 340
(II) The Department of Education shall provide school 341
districts with guidelines for the equitable implementation of 342
compression relief supplements. Each school district shall 343
annually conduct an audit of its performance salary schedule to 344
identify and address salary compression issues. 345
f. Retention incentives for experienced instructional 346
personnel.—Each district school board shall provide a retention 347
incentive for instructional personnel with significant years of 348
service with the district. Such incentives must be awarded as 349
follows: 350
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(I) Instructional personnel who have at least 10 years of 351
service but less than 20 years of service shall be awarded an 352
incentive of $5,000. 353
(II) Instructional personnel who have at least 20 years of 354
service with the school district shall be awarded an incentive 355
of $10,000. 356
357
If budget constraints in any given year lim it a district school 358
board's ability to fully fund all adopted salary schedules, the 359
performance salary schedule shall not be reduced on the basis of 360
total cost or the value of individual awards in a manner that is 361
proportionally greater than reductions to any other salary 362
schedules adopted by the district. Any compensation for 363
longevity of service awarded to instructional personnel who are 364
on any other salary schedule must be included in calculating the 365
salary adjustments required by sub -subparagraph b. 366
(3) 367
(b) Appearances before the board. —If a district school 368
superintendent appears before the state board to provide an 369
update under s. 1011.62(14)(g) s. 1011.62(14)(e), the state 370
board must require that the president of the collective 371
bargaining unit that represents the school district also must 372
appear. 373
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 374