How do Florida teacher salaries compare?
Their average teacher salary is $5,000 below the national average of $43,250. The implications are clear and disturbing. Attracting first-year teachers to Florida to meet the current and projected shortage is problematic unless their pay scale becomes competitive. Just to the north of Florida’s borders, the salary of first-year teachers in Fulton County is $36,500. This is $7,500 above the national average of beginning teacher salaries-$28,986-and $10,714 more than the average beginning teacher’s salary in Florida-$25,786. It thus is highly unlikely, if Florida voters approve Amendment 9, that 31,000 out-of-state teachers (in addition to the current projection of 162,000 needed) will flock to Florida in pursuit of substandard pay. According to the Florida Department of Education, in 2000-2001, teachers not appropriately certified filled 6.9 percent of elementary education vacancies. This is almost triple the number hired in 1990. Dr. Sanders’ finding underscores another chilling prospe
