Though told last week that its education bonus plan would run afoul of federal rules, Florida still could give teachers and principals $1,000 awards, if it paid them from another pot of COVID-19 relief funds, not the one it initially identified, budget experts say. Updated: 9:31 PM EDT Mar 31, 2021 Gov. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Full-time teachers in both public schools and public charter schools, pre-K through 12th grade, will receive the money, said DeSantis. The funding for the bonuses would be $216 million from the third round of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday. DeSantis proposes $1,000 bonuses for Florida teachers, principals. A cheesy oversight almost cost a "Wheel of Fortune" contestant thousands in prize money. TAMPA (WFLA) Governor Ron DeSantis introduced a new civics education program that will pay Florida teachers a $3,000 bonus but theres a catch. Updated: 7:36 AM EDT October 13, 2021 FLORIDA, USA If youre a qualifying teacher or first responder you shouldve received your $1,000 pandemic bonus check by now. Legislative leaders also reached agreement on more than $22 billion in school spending, including a bump in money for teacher salaries as well as $1,000 bonuses for teachers and principals that had been pitched by Gov. Updated: 7:36 AM EDT October 13, 2021 FLORIDA, USA If youre a qualifying teacher or first responder you shouldve received your $1,000 pandemic bonus check by now. According to 2020-21 data from the Florida Department of Education, the average teacher salary in 29 of Floridas 67 school districts is less than the goal of $47,500. And we do appreciate the fact that there is more income, but our wish is that it was a permanent part of our financial plans,Panzanosaid. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel), education bonus plan would run afoul of federal rules, Hawaiis governor has said he may veto the bonus provision. This was our effort to do something nice for teachers, Fine said. The funding for the bonuses would be $216 million from the third round of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). The federal education department this week approved the first seven state ESSER plans. Fine said the bonuses given to educators this year didnt have to happen. The funding for the bonuses would be $216 million from the third round of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). 22, 2021 | Updated Jun. The funding for the bonuses would be $216 million from the third round of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). A reporter who reached out to the Governors Office for clarification on bonus eligibility was directed instead to the Department of Education, which is in charge of distributing the checks. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Roughly 175,000 Florida teachers and 3,600 principals can soon expect $1,000 bonuses in their mailboxes. / CBS Miami. Florida's plan to give classroom teachers and principals $1,000 bonuses paid for with COVID-19 relief funds has run afoul of federal rules. I think were good to go, we have um, these were, were using the federal funding from(Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund) ESSER, one of theESSERpots, and it absolutely can be used for bonuses, the governor said. TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - Gov. Ron DeSantis said that he expects $1,000 bonuses promised to teachers and principals using federal coronavirus relief funds to be delivered in August. Those are just conservative talking points as much as anything else. Published Jun. The Biden administration, however, said in its June 30 letter that those plans would conflict with requirements that most of those ESSER funds be focused on helping students who lost ground academically because of the pandemic. The state budget called for bonuses to be paid for with money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, specifically from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund, dubbed ESSER. 48 in the nation for average teacher salaries. More information on this initiative can be found here. Copy {copyShortcut} to copy Link copied! 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A spokesperson for DeSantis office said late Wednesday that the Florida Department of Education was still reviewing the letter about the bonuses from Washington, D.C. and had no further comment on the issue. But in a letter from the U.S. Department of Education, federal officials say Floridas plan to give teachers and principals bonuses uses money that is only meant to address student learning loss from theCOVID-19 pandemic. WebSTATEWIDE According to the U.S. Department of Education, Florida is misusing federal dollars it plans to use for Gov. DeSantis has held up these funds because he doesnt want In addition to funding the bonus payments, Florida lawmaker included another $550 million in next year's budget to fulfill the governor's promise of raising minimum teacher salaries to $47,500. WebDuring the 2020 Legislative Session Governor DeSantis and legislative partners successfully championed and secured the historic Teacher Salary Increase Allocation through House Bill (HB) 641 and funded this new allocation with $500 million in line item 92 the General Appropriations Act (HB 5001). Ron DeSantis touted the bonuses as a way to thank school employees for their tireless efforts to provide in-person classes to students during the 2020-21 school year. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Last week, the U.S. Department of Education told the state its plan to use nearly $216 million in federal money to pay bonuses to classroom teachers and principals did not appear allowable. FEA also suggested that while the bonuses might be a nice gesture, addressing overall teacher pay would have been a better way to show appreciation for the states educators and school staff. Florida is getting $7 billion from that act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in March to help the country recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Speaking at Baker County Middle School in north Florida, Gov. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel), Donique Rolle teaches in her classroom at Jones High on Wednesday, October 7, 2020. Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday. Let me be clear, theres no room in our classrooms for things like critical race theory, DeSantis said. Public school teachers and principals in Florida will receive $1,000 bonuses, Gov. WebIf the Florida Department of Education would work with school districts and supply them with the federal stimulus funding, teachers could have already received their $1,000 bonus. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Published Jun. Hawaiis governor has said he may veto the bonus provision passed by his state legislature because he did not believe it would be an allowable use of federal money, based on education department guidance. DeSantis has held up these funds because he doesnt want If this was truly genuine, first of all the money would have been given to all who work in our schools, Spar said. According to 2020-21 data from the Florida Department of Education, the average teacher salary in 29 of Floridas 67 school districts is less than the goal of $47,500. DeSantis said he is urging the legislature to take up this initiative and pass it into law. May 27, 2021 / 6:00 AM The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Share Copy Link. Public school teachers and principals in Florida will receive $1,000 bonuses, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday. Ron DeSantis as a way to reward educators who helped reopen schools. Those bonuses are part of a $200 million investment sought by Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his proposal to give $1000 bonuses to school principals and teachers in Florida at a March press conference at Palm Harbor University High School. Yet the state has invested over $1 billion over the past two years to increase teachers starting salaries. This makes me think real long and hard about whether we want to do anything like this ever again, Fine said. 22, 2021 | Updated Jun. Theres opportunities to shift gears, she said. Legislative leaders also reached agreement on more than $22 billion in school spending, including a bump in money for teacher salaries as well as $1,000 bonuses for teachers and principals that had been pitched by Gov. Ron DeSantis and passed by the Legislature this year. What are those large pyramids next to the Skyway? "The superintendents in Florida, the principals, the teachers overwhelmingly wanted to get back, wanted to give the kids the ability to learn face-to-face because they understood how important it was," DeSantis said. Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, said he knows that teachers and administrators who receive a $1,000 bonus will appreciate the help. Share Copy Link. WebDuring the 2020 Legislative Session Governor DeSantis and legislative partners successfully championed and secured the historic Teacher Salary Increase Allocation through House Bill (HB) 641 and funded this new allocation with $500 million in line item 92 the General Appropriations Act (HB 5001). Legislative leaders also reached agreement on more than $22 billion in school spending, including a bump in money for teacher salaries as well as $1,000 bonuses for teachers and principals that had been pitched by Gov. Copyright 2021 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. 22, 2021 | Updated Jun. Florida, however, likely could pay for bonuses from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, which the state is to use to pay bonuses to firefighters, paramedics, police officers and other first responders, she said. A cheesy oversight almost cost a "Wheel of Fortune" contestant thousands in prize money. Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced a proposal to provide $1,000 bonuses to public school principals and full-time classroom teachers for grades Pre-K through 12 th grade in Florida. The governor insisted schools open last August and said that because of the hard work and dedication of educators Florida succeeded where so many other states failed., Maria Waters teaches her kindergarten class at Pine Crest Elementary school in Sanford, on Friday, February 5, 2021. The proposal includes a second-straight year of $1,000 bonuses for Floridas teachers and principals; $600 million to raise minimum teacher salaries for the third year in a row from $40,000 to $47,500; and the highest per-student funding in Floridas history at $8,000 per student. Please enter valid email address to continue. Under this initiative, the [state education] department will partner with national leaders and civics professional development to provide a series of modules and microcredentials that any Florida teacher will be eligible to attain, DeSantis said Wednesday morning at a press conference in Naples. Last week, the U.S. Department of Education told the state its plan to use nearly $216 million in federal money to pay bonuses to classroom teachers and principals did not appear allowable. The federal rules want the money targeted to tutoring, after-school programs and summer school. States must have their plans approved by the federal education department. If theyre not going to appreciate it, we can spend the couple hundred million dollars differently next year.. 4 things you can do for your health, The State of Black Tampa Bay: An Exclusive Town Hall, Ybor speakeasy honors Madame Fortune Taylor, Ex got a warrant? A raise is secure, a raise can go towards your retirement, a bonus does not provide that same sense of security financially,Panzanosaid. Ron DeSantis as a way to reward educators who helped reopen schools. Rep. Randy Fine, who chairs the PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, didnt mince words when he was asked what he thought of the unions criticism. Florida's Value-Added Models (VAM) Section 1012.34, F.S., requires that school districts implement personnel evaluations that are based on several criteria, one of which is the performance of each educator's students. But the U.S. DOE stated the problem it has with Florida is that it appears the state planned to use funds classified as required, which are meant solely to address student learning loss. Teachers will have to complete training for the new program, which he dubbed the Florida civic seal of excellence.. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel) (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel). Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Most of that money, the department said in a letter, should go to help with students learning loss and not for premium pay.. 22, 2021 The Florida Legislature put $215 million into the state budget to pay $1,000 bonuses to public school classroom teachers and principals. (Orlando Sentinel Photo/Willie J. Allen Jr.), Maria Waters teaches her kindergarten class at Pine Crest Elementary school in Sanford, on Friday, February 5, 2021. About 180,000 Florida teachers and about 3,600 principals are in line for the bonuses, which the statewide teachers union predicted could be paid by the end of the month. For assistance with WJXTs or WCWJ's FCC public inspection file, call (904) 393-9801. (Orlando Sentinel Photo/Willie J. Allen Jr.) (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel). Seventh grader Colby Sloan listens to teacher Angie Helm during a civics review session at Windy Hill Middle in Clermont, Fla., Saturday, May 15, 2021. Copy {copyShortcut} to copy Link copied! "We understand that it was a unique set of circumstances that many of our schools had to do.". Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. But those bonuses are coming under criticism from Floridas largest teachers union, which contends that not everyone who worked to keep Floridas public schools up and running through the pandemic are eligible for bonus pay. Gov. BAKER COUNTY (CBSMiami) It's official. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. So those should be hitting in August, well be looking forward to doing that, DeSantissaid at a press conference Tuesday.