ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — St. Lucie Public Schools just earned its second consecutive “A” rating from the state. But many of the teachers behind that success say they’re still struggling to pay their bills.

School board member Jennifer Richardson recently said some teachers in the district are donating plasma and driving rideshare just to get by. In an interview with CBS12, Superintendent Dr. Jon R. Prince said he recognizes those struggles firsthand.

“We know our families are struggling. Many of our teachers and employees have two or three jobs, so we’re committed to that,” Prince said. “But we also are very aware that we’ve got to see where we’re going to start with our enrollment. Are we going to be up, or are we going to be flat, or are we going to be down, or are we going to have to make cuts?”

Prince said any pay raise ultimately comes down to how many students show up for the first day of school this week, since enrollment numbers directly drive state funding.

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“I don’t think the public understands how hard it is to be a teacher in this day and age,” Prince said. “You’re navigating so many different challenges, whether it’s kids using AI to do their homework, the expectations of parents, and also the teachers have to pay their bills.”

Prince said those pressures extend beyond teachers to other district employees.

“The teachers have to pay their bills. So do the bus drivers, the food service folks. We understand the economic pressures of our employees,” Prince said. “It’s not just that. It’s the rise of health care costs. It’s great if you get a pay raise, but if your insurance costs exceed what you’re giving people for a pay raise, that’s not really a raise.”

The district tells CBS12 it is currently 32 positions understaffed, with half of those positions being teachers.

Prince said negotiations with the teachers union are ongoing, and he described the district’s approach as different from a typical labor fight.

“It’s very different in our county. We have a different way of negotiating. It’s not collective bargaining, it’s collaborative bargaining,” Prince said. “So we open up our books. We don’t come with an agenda. They know what’s in our budget. It’s very transparent.”

Prince said he’s confident the district and the union will ultimately reach an agreement, even as the district balances rising costs against a state funding formula tied to how many students walk through the door this week.