Title: Minimum Base Salary for Full-time Classroom Teachers

Summary: Increases minimum base salary for full-time classroom teachers.

Full Text:
An act relating to minimum base salary for full-time classroom teachers; providing a short title; amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; increasing the minimum base salary for full-time classroom teachers; amending s. 1012.22, F.S.; conforming a provision to changes made by the act; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Save Our Teachers Act." Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (14) of section 1011.62, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.-If the annual allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each district for operation of schools is not determined in the annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as follows: (14) TEACHER SALARY INCREASE ALLOCATION.-The Legislature may annually provide in the Florida Education Finance Program a teacher salary increase allocation to assist school districts in their recruitment and retention of classroom teachers and other instructional personnel. The amount of the allocation shall be HB 2023 specified in the Genera lAppropriations Act. (b) Allocation funds are restricted in use as follows: 1. Each school district and charter school shall use its share of the allocation to increase the minimum base salary for full-time classroom teachers, as defined in s. 1012.01 (2)(a), plus certified prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida Education Finance Program, to at least $65,000 $47,500, or to the maximum amount achievable based on the allocation and as specified in the General Appropriations Act. The term "minimum base salary" means the lowest annual base salary reported on the salary schedule for a full-time classroom teacher. No full-time classroom teacher shall receive a salary less than the minimum base salary as adjusted by this subparagraph. This subparagraph does not apply to substitute teachers. 2. In addition, each school district shall use its share of the allocation to provide salary increases, as funding permits, for the following personnel: a. Full-time classroom teachers, as defined in s. 1012.01(2) (a), plus certified prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida Education Finance Program, who did not receive an increase or who received an increase of less than percent under subparagraph 1. or as specified in the General Appropriations Act. This subparagraph does not apply to substitute teachers. b. Other full-time instructional personnel as defined in HB 2023 s. 1012.01(2)(b)-(d). 3. A school district or charter school may use funds available after the requirements of subparagraph 1. are met to provide salary increases pursuant to subparagraph 2. 4. A school district or charter school shall maintain the minimum base salary achieved for classroom teachers provided under subparagraph 1. and may not reduce the salary increases provided under subparagrap h2. in any subsequent fiscal year, unless specifically authorized in the General Appropriations Act. Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section 1012.22, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1012.22 Public school personnel; powers and dut ies of the district school board.-The district school board shall: (1) Designate positions to be filled, prescribe qualifications for those positions, and provide for the appointment, compensation, promotion, suspension, and dismissal of employees as follows, subject to the requirements of this chapter: (c) Compensation and salary schedules.-1. Definitions.-As used in this paragraph: a. "Adjustment" means an addition to the base salary schedule that is not a bonus and becomes part of the employe e's permanent base salary and shall be considered compensation under s. 121.021(22). HB 2023 b. "Grandfathered salary schedule" means the salary schedule or schedules adopted by a district school board before July 1, 2014, pursuant to subparagraph 4. c. "Instr uctional personnel" means instructional personnel as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d), excluding substitute teachers. d. "Performance salary schedule" means the salary schedule or schedules adopted by a district school board pursuant to subparagraph 5. e. "Salary schedule" means the schedule or schedules used to provide the base salary for district school board personnel. f. "School administrator" means a school administrator as defined in s. 1012.01(3)(c). g. "Supplement" means an annual addition to the base salary for the term of the negotiated supplement as long as the employee continues his or her employment for the purpose of the supplement. A supplement does not become part of the employee's continuing base salary but shall be considered compens ation under s. 121.021(22). 2. Cost-of-living adjustment.-A district school board may provide a cost-of-living salary adjustment if the adjustment: a. Does not discriminate among comparable classes of employees based upon the salary schedule under whic hthey are compensated. b. Does not exceed percent of the annual adjustment HB 2023 provided to instructional personnel rated as effective. 3. Advanced degrees.-A district school board may not use advanced degrees in setting a salary schedule for instructio nal personnel or school administrators hired on or after July 1, 2011, unless the advanced degree is held in the individual's area of certification and is only a salary supplement. 4. Grandfathered salary schedule.-a. The district school board shall a dopt a salary schedule or salary schedules to be used as the basis for paying all school employees hired before July 1, 2014. Instructional personnel on annual contract as of July 1, 2014, shall be placed on the performance salary schedule adopted under su bparagraph 5. Instructional personnel on continuing contract or professional service contract may opt into the performance salary schedule if the employee relinquishes such contract and agrees to be employed on an annual contract under s. 1012.335. Such an employee shall be placed on the performance salary schedule and may not return to continuing contract or professional service contract status. Any employee who opts into the performance salary schedule may not return to the grandfathered salary schedule. b. In determining the grandfathered salary schedule for instructional personnel, a district school board must base a portion of each employee's compensation upon performance demonstrated under s. 1012.34 and shall provide differentiated HB 2023 pay for both inst ructional personnel and school administrators based upon district-determined factors, including, but not limited to, additional responsibilities, school demographics, critical shortage areas, and level of job performance difficulties. 5. Performance sala ry schedule.-By July 1, 2014, the district school board shall adopt a performance salary schedule that provides annual salary adjustments for instructional personnel and school administrators based upon performance determined under s. 1012.34. Employees hi red on or after July 1, 2014, or employees who choose to move from the grandfathered salary schedule to the performance salary schedule shall be compensated pursuant to the performance salary schedule once they have received the appropriate performance eva luation for this purpose. a. Base salary.-The base salary shall be established as follows: (I) The base salary for instructional personnel or school administrators who opt into the performance salary schedule shall be the salary paid in the prior year, including adjustments only. (II) Instructional personnel or school administrators new to the district, returning to the district after a break in service without an authorized leave of absence, or appointed for the first time to a position in the distri ct in the capacity of HB 2023 instructional personnel or school administrator shall be placed on the performance salary schedule. Beginning July 1, 2023 2021, and until such time as the minimum base salary as defined in s. 1011.62(14) equals or exceeds $65,000 $47,500, the annual increase to the minimum base salary shall not be less than 155 percent of the largest adjustment made to the salary of an employee on the grandfathered salary schedule. Thereafter, the annual increase to the minimum base salary shall not be less than percent of the largest adjustment for an employee on the grandfathered salary schedule. b. Salary adjustments.-Salary adjustments for highly effective or effective performance shall be established as follows: (I) The annual salary adjust ment under the performance salary schedule for an employee rated as highly effective must be at least percent greater than the highest annual salary adjustment available to an employee of the same classification through any other salary schedule adopted by the district. (II) The annual salary adjustment under the performance salary schedule for an employee rated as effective must be equal to at least percent and no more than percent of the annual adjustment provided for a highly effective employe eof the same classification. (III) A salary schedule shall not provide an annual salary adjustment for an employee who receives a rating other than HB 2023 highly effective or effective for the year. c. Salary supplements.-In addition to the salary adjustment s, each district school board shall provide for salary supplements for activities that must include, but are not limited to: (I) Assignment to a Title I eligible school. (II) Assignment to a school that earned a grade of "F" or three consecutive grades of "D" pursuant to s. 1008.34 such that the supplement remains in force for at least year following improved performance in that school. (III) Certification and teaching in critical teacher shortage areas. Statewide critical teacher shortage areas sha ll be identified by the State Board of Education under s. 1012.07. However, the district school board may identify other areas of critical shortage within the school district for purposes of this sub-sub-subparagraph and may remove areas identified by the state board which do not apply within the school district. (IV) Assignment of additional academic responsibilities. If budget constraints in any given year limit a district school board's ability to fully fund all adopted salary schedules, the performance salary schedule shall not be reduced on the basis of total cost or the value of individual awards in a manner that i sproportionally greater than reductions to any other salary schedules adopted by the district. Any compensation for HB 2023 longevity of service awarded to instructional personnel who are on any other salary schedule must be included in calculating the salary adj ustments required by sub-subparagraph b. Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.