Gov. Ron DeSantis will propose a slate of bills for the 2023 legislative session designed to bolster school districts’ efforts to recruit teachers, after students returned to classes last week amid a scarcity of educators.
During a stop at a New Port Richey high school, DeSantis on Tuesday teased legislation aimed at recruiting to teaching jobs retired law-enforcement officers, emergency-medical technicians, paramedics and firefighters who have bachelor’s degrees.
The proposal, DeSantis said, would make people who have worked in those professions eligible for $4,000 bonuses and would waive fees for the state teacher-certification exam.
“We believe that the folks that have served our communities have an awful lot to offer. And we’ve got people that have served 20 years in law enforcement, they retire, and some of them are looking for the next chapter in their life,” the governor said.
The legislation would build on a similar new program geared toward getting military veterans into teaching roles. The Military Veterans Certification Pathway allows veterans who have not earned bachelor’s degrees but have at least 60 college credits to obtain five-year temporary teaching certificates.
The veterans program launched July 1, and 208 people had applied as of Tuesday, DeSantis’ press secretary, Bryan Griffin, told The News Service of Florida.
“We anticipate even more in the coming weeks,” Griffin said.
The most-recent data on Florida’s teacher shortage was published in February by the state Department of Education, showing nearly 4,500 teacher vacancies in schools across the state.
When most school districts started the academic year last week, many were still scrambling to hire teachers. Pasco County Superintendent Kurt Browning, who joined DeSantis at the Tuesday news conference, said his district last week faced “upwards of 350” teacher vacancies.
“As of yesterday, we’re down to 195 (vacancies), which is much better. Not as good as where we were this time last year. But it’s not just a Pasco issue, it’s a statewide issue. As a matter of fact, it’s a national issue,” Browning said.
DeSantis also previewed two other proposed bills, including a teacher apprenticeship program that would allow Floridians who have associate’s degrees to spend two years learning under “experienced” teacher mentors with the goal of the apprentices going on to obtain their bachelor’s degrees.
Teacher mentors who participate would get $4,000 bonuses, according to DeSantis.
“I think what makes a teacher great is actually being there, doing it, watching experienced teachers and seeing what they do that works. Working directly with students,” the governor said.
Another proposal would launch a scholarship program to help high-school teachers earn master’s degrees. DeSantis said that would allow those teachers to teach dual-enrollment courses at high schools where they work.
“Right now, dual-enrollment is one of the more popular ways for students to gain college credit during high school and save themselves money and time for getting their either two- or four-year degree,” the governor said.
State Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. touted the military veterans program and the bills proposed by DeSantis, calling them a “systematic way to increase the pool of teachers” in Florida.
Diaz said people who have worked in the various jobs have traits such as “discipline” and “commitment” that would translate to the teaching profession.
“You’re looking at these professionals who have given their life to public service. And oftentimes they retire at an early age where they still have the incentive and the time to work. And what better place to have them than in front of our young people in a classroom,” Diaz said.
But Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, released a statement Tuesday accusing DeSantis of trying to lower standards for teaching certificates and positions.
“Let me be clear: We should not be lowering the bar for teachers in Florida,” Fried said. “Instead of paying teachers what they’re worth and agreeing to stop politicizing their jobs, DeSantis is trying to let Floridians with no experience and minimal training teach our kids.”
Similarly, Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association teachers union, issued a statement that said students deserve to “have professionally trained, experienced and supported teachers.”
“In order to recruit and retain teachers into the profession, the two most important elements are respect and pay,” Spar said. “Under Gov. DeSantis, teachers hear their profession demeaned on a regular basis and face an experience tax that has teachers with 10 or more years of experience earning the same pay as a first-year teacher.”
The 2023 regular legislative session is scheduled to start on March 7.
–Ryan Dailey, News Service of Florida
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Shaking head in dismay says
I hope none of these “retired” people are going to be teaching English/Grammar/etc. since all of that is severely lacking in this article.
Deirdre says
One fresh idea to deal with the shortage would be to get qualified teachers back into teaching by treating them fairly, including approximate pay and benefits.
This would be for veteran teachers to keep them in the schools, not just beginners (since DeSantis already took care of newbies with a pay raise for the first four years). Make their jobs easier, not worse due to politics, and give every current educator a $4000 bonus for showing up every day.
Veteran teachers are not exactly thrilled about the fact that they can make close to or even less money than someone just entering into the field, but half of them won’t stick around long anyway after the reality check. Literally half, check the statistics.
Perhaps those that left education would consider returning to it, at least they’re qualified! Why did they leave? Find out, then fix the problems. That’s who should be getting sweet deals for filling the void if we’re not cranking out new ones fast enough.
Can’t wait to hear what those with hero backgrounds have to say after the first day lol! Just when you thought you knew everything, deal with 200 teenagers a day any you’ll find out. At least one of them will be a problem, and it only takes one teenager to make you crazy. Heads up, there will be more than one.
However, under the emergency circumstances of this horrendous shortage, maybe with some basic training this would work out temporarily, if those individuals were considered long time substitutes, working under the direction of an experienced educator.
Just because someone can look down the barrel of a loaded gun or rush into a burning building doesn’t mean they can deal with students, their parents and administrators (and worse, politicians).
As a retired teacher, when there’s a shortage in law-enforcement officers, emergency-medical technicians, paramedics and firefighters I can fill the void, no training needed! I’m sure Mr. DeSantis would appreciate me coming to his rescue, should he have a problem normally handled by people in those fields.
It’s unfortunate that I don’t know how to fire a gun, deal with medical problems or put out a fire, but I’m sure if he needed me it would be better than nothing. I’ll bring a squirt gun and some Band-Aids.
Merrill S Shapiro says
I suppose that should anyone in the DeSantis family need dental work at a time when dental professional vacancies are rampant, they won’t mind if a firefighter or a retired law-enforcement officer does the work! Teachers are every bit as much professionals as dentists.
Deborah Coffey says
DeSantis is desperate, pathetic, and a failure at every level. Let’s vote him out!
Mikem says
There are now over 200,000 more Republican voters than Democrats in the state of Florida. All those who have fled the tyrannical blue states are for him and his policies. So he will never get voted out in the next election but you keep on dreaming .
Deborah Coffey says
I personally know 12 registered Republicans who will not be voting for Ron DeSantis. So, how many of “me” are there? And, of course, there are hundreds of thousands not registered as Democrats or Republicans. Maybe don’t like Fascists, either. Maybe they prefer a democratic republic with a Constitution!
Jim says
I have the greatest respect for our veterans. They deserve much more appreciation than they get for what they’ve done for this country.
If DeSantis was proposing TRAINING veterans to become teachers, I’d be all for it. A properly trained vet would make a great teacher and provide a role model for many students. However, placing vets in schools to teach students without the benefit of training seems on par with sending troops into battle without training. (Look at the Russians…).
Students, existing teachers and veterans all deserve more respect and a much better approach than this. This appears to be a thinly veiled political move to ingratiate the current governor with voters who aren’t paying much attention. It’s another political move to play to his base that will do little or nothing to improve a critical situation.
We might hope for better government but we’re not getting it.
Donald J Trump says
Ron, don’t overlook the homeless, in your sick mind they are another viable source of new unqualified teachers.,you could also open the doors of state prisons and get some warm bodies. Maybe DeSantis should stay home and pay attention to his wife’s fidelity?
Bob Ziolkowski says
I am a Navy vet and I can tell you this: I would NOT want some of the people I served with teaching kids.