We hear criticisms from unions and it's just part of the political process, part of the political gain. But that's not going to stop the governor from doing what he can to improve the quality of teachers we have in our system and improve what those teachers get in terms of benefits and sign on bonuses and professional development. The governor is betting his entire package will keep good teachers and entice new ones, despite a lower base pay. Most of the counties along here in Georgia pay more than the Florida schools. Now I can't say exactly how much, but most of the people come to us saying they're going to make a thousand or two thousand more than they'll make down there.
Pay is just one reason why Georgia is attracting Florida teachers.
We've got a good thing going up here. And teachers like to be where they know they can have an adequate number of text books. A good pupil to teacher ratio. Good small class sizes is another thing. Mr. Smith credits Georgia's former governor, Zell Miller, with raising base pay for teachers 29 percent over a five-year period.