ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida teachers will be getting more money from the state under Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new budget plan.
The governor announced his proposal Monday, which includes an additional $200 million for teacher and instructional personnel salaries.
DeSantis says the funding brings the state’s investment in teacher salary increases to a record level. But some educators and school leaders say the increase may not be enough to make a major difference for all of Florida’s teachers.
The governor addressed teacher pay on Monday while discussing his overall new budget. He says the plan includes $1.56 billion specifically for teacher salaries.
“The budget that I’m signing has 1.56 billion just for teacher salaries,” DeSantis said.
According to the Florida Department of Education, the governor’s 2026-2027 budget provides an additional $200 million to increase salaries for teachers and instructional personnel.
DeSantis says the goal is to reward veteran educators, not just increase starting salaries.
“Only for people that have ten years or more experience. And so, some of those folks are going to see a bump and we’re happy to be able to deliver that. And we know that that’s something that’s really good,” DeSantis said.
The Florida Department of Education says the funding does not mean every teacher with 10 years of experience will automatically receive the same raise.
The money will flow through the state education funding system, and local school districts will play a role in how compensation is handled.
Clinton McCracken, president of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association, says the additional funding is a step in the right direction but says more is needed.
“Our experienced teachers need a boost, but this is far from what is needed to bring us up from being the 50th in average teacher pay in the U.S.,” McCracken said.
Angie Gallo with the Orange County School Board says she appreciates the increase but remains concerned about whether it will be enough to address teacher pay challenges.
“We are still dead last in teacher pay in the nation. Our teachers still don’t make an affordable living wage. And now we have the first-year to five-year teachers, to the ten-year teachers that we’ve got to figure out how to pay them. We’re in negotiations with the union now on that,” Gallo said.
The new fiscal year begins Wednesday, July 1.