{"id":357536,"date":"2026-07-30T13:11:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T13:11:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/357536\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T13:11:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T13:11:12","slug":"teachers-are-struggling-most-leon-county-teachers-wont-see-raises-after-budget-approval","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/357536\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Teachers are struggling\u2019: Most Leon County teachers won\u2019t see raises after budget approval"},"content":{"rendered":"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Most classroom teachers in Leon County won\u2019t be getting a raise this school year after the Leon County School Board approved a tight $615 million budget.<\/a><\/p>\n

Only about 42% of teachers in Leon County Schools will receive a pay increase, with raises going to veteran teachers who have at least 10 years of experience.<\/p>\n

Teachers voiced their frustrations during Tuesday night\u2019s school board meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are tired, tired of working many jobs to make ends meet, tired of sacrificing our health, family and relationships, tired of signing up for extra roles and responsibilities just to bring home a few extra dollars each month,\u201d said teacher Marcy Brower.<\/p>\n

Another teacher, Jonah Mundy, added, \u201cI\u2019m greatly disappointed by the idea of pay raises not being made to teachers. I just want to let y\u2019all know that many, many teachers here are struggling.\u201d <\/p>\n

Superintendent Rocky Hanna said he\u2019s also disappointed by the budget and the lack of raises.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one cares more about our teachers than I do, but I can\u2019t put our district in financial jeopardy by overextending our resources, and unfortunately the state of Florida is not funding public education as it should,\u201d Hanna said. \u201cI wish our teachers more and our support staff more, but our budget is in a wreck right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hanna said the state only allocated about $1.5 million this year for teachers with 10 or more years of experience. He said that funding does not include positions such as media specialists, guidance counselors, school psychologists and others.<\/p>\n

Scott Mazur, president of the Leon Classroom Teachers Association, said the union will continue advocating for better pay for educators.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not stopping. We understand that there may be some limitations, but to just pack up and that\u2019s not what our responsibility is. Our responsibility is to advocate for the educators,\u201d Mazur said.<\/p>\n

Mazur said the association will continue pushing for a local referendum that would increase the millage rate <\/a>to help fund teacher salaries on the upcoming ballot.<\/p>\n

According to the National Education Association, Florida ranks 50th in the country for teacher pay. Leon County currently ranks 44th out of Florida\u2019s 67 counties for teacher pay.<\/p>\n

School leaders say if the millage referendum passes, Leon County could move from 44th to 11th in the state for teacher pay.<\/p>\n

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