HB 727 full text · Session Watch

1 A bill to be entitled

2 An act relating to instructional personnel and school

3 administrator salaries; providing a short title;

4 amending s. 1011.62, F.S.; increasing the minimum base

5 salary for certain teachers; revising the purpose of

6 the classroom teacher and other instructional

7 personnel salary increase; revising requirements for

8 funding for the increase; revising the definition of

9 the term "minimum base salary"; revising the

10 requirements for specified school district reporting

11 requirements beginning on a date certain; requiring

12 school districts to provide a specified plan to the

13 Department of Education beginning on a specified date;

14 providing requirements for the plan; providing charter

15 school requirements relating to such plan; requiring

16 the department to establish and oversee a phased

17 implementation of specified requirements; providing

18 requirements for such implementation; requiring the

19 department to provide specified grants to certain

20 school districts and charter schools for specified

21 purposes; amending s. 1012.22, F.S.; providing

22 requirements for school district relating to salary

23 structures and schedules; requiring performance salary

24 schedules to include step-based salary increases and

25 compression relief supplements; providing requirements

26 for such increases and supplements; providing that

27 certain duties qualify as additional academic

28 responsibilities; providing an effective date.

30 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

32 Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Save Our Teachers

33 Act."

34 Section 2. Subsection (14) of section 1011.62, Florida

35 Statutes, is amended to read:

36 1011.62 Funds for operation of schools.—If the annual

37 allocation from the Florida Education Finance Program to each

38 district for operation of schools is not determined in the

39 annual appropriations act or the substantive bill implementing

40 the annual appropriations act, it shall be determined as

41 follows:

42 (14) CLASSROOM TEACHER AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL

43 SALARY INCREASE.—

44 (a) The Legislature shall annually apportion an amount of

45 funds provided in the Florida Education Finance Program to:

46 1. Assist school districts and charter schools in their

47 compliance with the requirement that the minimum base salary for

48 full-time classroom teachers, as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a),

49 and certified prekindergarten teachers funded in the Florida

50 Education Finance Program is at least $65,000 ~~$47,500~~ or to

51 provide salary increases to instructional personnel, as defined

52 in s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d), in a manner that best meets the needs

53 of the school district or charter school.

54 2. Assist with school districts and charter schools in

55 addressing salary compression pursuant to this subsection and s.

56 1012.22(1)(c).

57 3. Provide funding for an annual cost-of-living adjustment

58 and longevity pay for experienced teachers.

59 (b) This subsection does not apply to substitute teachers.

60 The amount and distribution methodology for the funding shall be

61 specified in the General Appropriations Act, including a

62 methodology that accounts for the number of experienced teachers

63 and their years of service. The allocation must be sufficient to

64 adjust the entire salary schedule.

65 (c)(a) The term "minimum base salary" means the lowest

66 annual base salary reported on the salary schedule for a full-

67 time classroom teacher, with additional considerations for

68 regional economic conditions and salary progression for

69 experienced classroom teachers. A full-time classroom teacher

70 may not receive a salary less than the minimum base salary as

71 adjusted by this subsection.

72 (d)(b) A school district or charter school shall maintain

73 the minimum base salary achieved for classroom teachers provided

74 in the prior fiscal year and may not reduce the salary increases

75 in any subsequent fiscal year.

76 (e)(c) Before distributing any additional funds received

77 over the prior fiscal year, each school district and each

78 charter school shall develop a salary distribution plan that

79 clearly delineates the planned distribution of funds in

80 accordance with modified salary schedules, as necessary, for the

81 implementation of this subsection.

82 1. Each school district superintendent and each charter

83 school administrator must submit its proposed salary

84 distribution plan to the district school board or the charter

85 school governing body, as appropriate, for approval.

86 2. Each school district shall submit the approved district

87 salary distribution plan and the approved salary distribution

88 plan for each charter school in the district to the department

89 by October 1 of each fiscal year.

90 (f)1.(d) Beginning August 1, 2027 ~~2024,~~ and each year

91 thereafter, in a format specified by the department, each school

92 district shall provide a report to the department that includes

93 a detailed summary explaining the school district's prior year's

94 expenditures pursuant to this subsection. The report must

95 include:

96 a. The amount of the increase to the minimum base salary

97 for classroom teachers and the school district's salary schedule

98 for the prior fiscal year and the fiscal year in which the base

99 salary is increased.

100 b. The use of supplemental funds from state teacher

101 compensation grants established under paragraph (i), if

102 applicable, and the outcomes of efforts to address pay

103 compression.

104 c. District-specific progress as determined under the

105 department's phased implementation plan pursuant to paragraph

106 (h).

107 2. Each charter school governing board shall submit the

108 information required under this subparagraph to the district

109 school board for inclusion in the school district's report to

110 the department.

111 (g)(e) Although district school boards and charter school

112 governing boards are not precluded from bargaining over wages,

113 the classroom teacher and other instructional personnel salary

114 increase must be used solely to comply with the requirements of

115 this subsection. A district school board or charter school

116 governing board that is unable to meet the reporting

117 requirements in paragraph (f) ~~(d)~~ due to a collective bargaining

118 impasse must provide written notification to the department or

119 the district school board, as applicable, detailing the reasons

120 for the impasse with a proposed timeline and details for a

121 resolution.

122 (h)1. Beginning August 1, 2027, and each year thereafter,

123 in a format prescribed by the department, each school district

124 shall provide to the department a localized salary adjustment

125 plan to address pay compression and provide equitable

126 compensation to experienced teachers while considering the

127 unique economic condition and fiscal capacity of the school

128 district. The plan must include the following:

129 a. The step-based salary increases included in the school

130 district's performance-based salary schedule.

131 b. An analysis of the school district's economic

132 conditions and the district's plan to adjust salary schedules

133 and salary increases accordingly to reflect differences in the

134 local cost of living, property tax revenue, and state funding

135 allocations.

136 c. Any state-level support provided to the district to

137 help address pay compression.

138 2. Each charter school governing board shall submit to the

139 district school board the information required under

140 subparagraph 1. for inclusion in the school district's plan.

141 3. The department shall establish and oversee a phased

142 implementation of the requirements of this paragraph and

143 paragraph (i). The phased implementation must:

144 a. Prioritize smaller school districts and charter schools

145 and those with the greatest financial need or teacher retention

146 challenges in the initial phase.

147 b. Establish a timeline to phase in the requirements of

148 this paragraph to larger school districts.

149 c. Ensure that the requirements of this paragraph are

150 fully implemented by the 2031-2032 school year.

151 d. Include an annual needs assessment for each school

152 district and charter school to determine funding priorities and

153 adjust the phased timeline as necessary.

154 e. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the

155 contrary, coordinate the integration of funding sources to meet

156 the requirements of this subsection and s. 1012.22(1)(c),

157 including:

158 (I) Redirected lottery revenue.

159 (II) Public-private partnerships.

160 (III) Administrative efficiency savings.

161 (IV) Grants and tourism-linked revenue.

162 4. The department shall require school districts and

163 charter schools to annually report on the impacts of the plan

164 under subparagraph 1. and use the data from such reports to

165 refine its implementation strategy.

166 (i) The department shall provide state teacher

167 compensation grants to smaller school districts and charter

168 schools with limited financial resources to supplement local

169 budgets to help school districts and charter schools meet pay

170 differential goals without compromising other essential

171 services.

172 Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) and paragraph

173 (b) of subsection (3) of section 1012.22, Florida Statutes, are

174 amended to read:

175 1012.22 Public school personnel; powers and duties of the

176 district school board.—The district school board shall:

177 (1) Designate positions to be filled, prescribe

178 qualifications for those positions, and provide for the

179 appointment, compensation, promotion, suspension, and dismissal

180 of employees as follows, subject to the requirements of this

181 chapter:

182 (c) Compensation and salary schedules.—

183 1. Definitions.—As used in this paragraph:

184 a. "Adjustment" means an addition to the base salary

185 schedule that is not a bonus and becomes part of the employee's

186 permanent base salary and shall be considered compensation under

187 s. 121.021(22).

188 b. "Grandfathered salary schedule" means the salary

189 schedule or schedules adopted by a district school board before

190 July 1, 2014, pursuant to subparagraph 4.

191 c. "Instructional personnel" means instructional personnel

192 as defined in s. 1012.01(2)(a)-(d), excluding substitute

193 teachers.

194 d. "Performance salary schedule" means the salary schedule

195 or schedules adopted by a district school board pursuant to

196 subparagraph 5.

197 e. "Salary schedule" means the schedule or schedules used

198 to provide the base salary for district school board personnel.

199 f. "School administrator" means a school administrator as

200 defined in s. 1012.01(3)(c).

201 g. "Supplement" means an annual addition to the base

202 salary for the term of the negotiated supplement as long as the

203 employee continues his or her employment for the purpose of the

204 supplement. A supplement does not become part of the employee's

205 continuing base salary but shall be considered compensation

206 under s. 121.021(22).

207 2. Cost-of-living adjustment.—A district school board may

208 provide a cost-of-living salary adjustment if the adjustment:

209 a. Does not discriminate among comparable classes of

210 employees based upon the salary schedule under which they are

211 compensated.

212 b. Does not exceed 50 percent of the annual adjustment

213 provided to instructional personnel rated as effective.

214 3. Advanced degrees.—A district school board may use

215 advanced degrees in setting a salary schedule for instructional

216 personnel or school administrators if the advanced degree is

217 held in the individual's area of certification.

218 4. Grandfathered salary schedule.—

219 a. The district school board shall adopt a salary schedule

220 or salary schedules to be used as the basis for paying all

221 school employees hired before July 1, 2014. Instructional

222 personnel on annual contract as of July 1, 2014, shall be placed

223 on the performance salary schedule adopted under subparagraph 5.

224 Instructional personnel on continuing contract or professional

225 service contract may opt into the performance salary schedule if

226 the employee relinquishes such contract and agrees to be

227 employed on an annual contract under s. 1012.335. Such an

228 employee shall be placed on the performance salary schedule and

229 may not return to continuing contract or professional service

230 contract status. Any employee who opts into the performance

231 salary schedule may not return to the grandfathered salary

232 schedule.

233 b. In determining the grandfathered salary schedule for

234 instructional personnel, a district school board must base a

235 portion of each employee's compensation upon performance

236 demonstrated under s. 1012.34 and shall provide differentiated

237 pay for both instructional personnel and school administrators

238 based upon district-determined factors, including, but not

239 limited to, additional responsibilities, school demographics,

240 high-demand teacher needs areas, and level of job performance

241 difficulties.

242 5. Performance salary schedule.—By July 1, 2014, the

243 district school board shall adopt a performance salary schedule

244 that provides annual salary adjustments for instructional

245 personnel and school administrators based upon performance

246 determined under s. 1012.34. Employees hired on or after July 1,

247 2014, or employees who choose to move from the grandfathered

248 salary schedule to the performance salary schedule shall be

249 compensated pursuant to the performance salary schedule once

250 they have received the appropriate performance evaluation for

251 this purpose. Each school district must ensure that salary

252 structures promote fairness and livable wages while adapting to

253 local economic factors. Each school district shall collaborate

254 with local stakeholders, including classroom teachers and

255 community representatives, to ensure the performance salary

256 schedule addresses regional disparities and teacher retention. A

257 school district may not unilaterally implement changes to the

258 performance salary schedule that exacerbate salary inequities

259 for instructional personnel or school administrators and must,

260 during any collective bargaining negotiations of salary

261 schedules, tailor solutions to the needs of instructional

262 personnel and school administrators.

263 a. Base salary.—The base salary shall be established as

264 follows:

265 (I) The base salary for instructional personnel or school

266 administrators who opt into the performance salary schedule

267 shall be the salary paid in the prior year, including

268 adjustments only.

269 (II) Instructional personnel or school administrators new

270 to the district, returning to the district after a break in

271 service without an authorized leave of absence, or appointed for

272 the first time to a position in the district in the capacity of

273 instructional personnel or school administrator shall be placed

274 on the performance salary schedule.

275 b. Step-based salary increases.—Step-based salary

276 increases shall be established within the performance-based

277 salary schedule to offer consistent and predictable salary

278 increases based on the years of experience of instructional

279 personnel or school administrators. Such increases must be

280 higher for the instructional personnel and school administrators

281 with more years of experience and must align with the school

282 district's fiscal capacity, cost of living, and teacher

283 retention needs and meet the following minimum requirements:

284 (I) For instructional personnel or school administrators

285 with at least 5 years of experience but not more than 10 years

286 of experience with the school district, a minimum pay increase

287 of $1,500 per year.

288 (II) For instructional personnel or school administrators

289 with at least 10 years of experience but not more than 20 years

290 of experience with the school district, a minimum pay increase

291 of $2,000 per year.

292 (III) For instructional personnel or school administrators

293 with at least 20 years of experience with the school district, a

294 minimum pay increase of $3,000 per year.

295 c.b. Salary adjustments.—Salary adjustments for highly

296 effective or effective performance shall be established as

297 follows:

298 (I) The annual salary adjustment under the performance

299 salary schedule for an employee rated as highly effective must

300 be at least 25 percent greater than the highest annual salary

301 adjustment available to an employee of the same classification

302 through any other salary schedule adopted by the district.

303 (II) The annual salary adjustment under the performance

304 salary schedule for an employee rated as effective must be equal

305 to at least 50 percent and no more than 75 percent of the annual

306 adjustment provided for a highly effective employee of the same

307 classification.

308 (III) A salary schedule shall not provide an annual salary

309 adjustment for an employee who receives a rating other than

310 highly effective or effective for the year.

311 d.c. Salary supplements.—In addition to the salary

312 adjustments, each district school board shall provide for salary

313 supplements for activities that must include, but are not

314 limited to:

315 (I) Assignment to a Title I eligible school.

316 (II) Assignment to a school that earned a grade of "F" or

317 three consecutive grades of "D" pursuant to s. 1008.34 such that

318 the supplement remains in force for at least 1 year following

319 improved performance in that school.

320 (III) Certification and teaching in high-demand teacher

321 needs areas. Statewide high-demand teacher needs areas shall be

322 identified by the State Board of Education under s. 1012.07.

323 However, the district school board may identify other areas of

324 high-demand needs within the school district for purposes of

325 this sub-sub-subparagraph and may remove areas identified by the

326 state board which do not apply within the school district.

327 (IV) Assignment of additional academic responsibilities,

328 including as a department chair, an instructional coach, or a

329 mentor to instructional personnel.

330 e. Compression relief supplements.—

331 (I) In addition to the salary adjustments and step-based

332 salary increases, each district school board shall provide for a

333 compression relief supplement for experienced instructional

334 personnel and school administrators. Such supplements may be a

335 one-time supplement that occurs when instructional personnel or

336 school administrators reach a specified number of years of

337 employment with the school district or may be recurring

338 increases for instructional personnel and school administrators

339 who reach specified years of employment with the school

340 district.

341 (II) The Department of Education shall provide school

342 districts with guidelines for the equitable implementation of

343 compression relief supplements. Each school district shall

344 annually conduct an audit of its performance salary schedule to

345 identify and address salary compression issues.

346 f. Retention incentives for experienced instructional

347 personnel.—Each district school board shall provide a retention

348 incentive for instructional personnel with significant years of

349 service with the district. Such incentives must be awarded as

350 follows:

351 (I) Instructional personnel who have at least 10 years of

352 service but less than 20 years of service shall be awarded an

353 incentive of $5,000.

354 (II) Instructional personnel who have at least 20 years of

355 service with the school district shall be awarded an incentive

356 of $10,000.

358 If budget constraints in any given year limit a district school

359 board's ability to fully fund all adopted salary schedules, the

360 performance salary schedule shall not be reduced on the basis of

361 total cost or the value of individual awards in a manner that is

362 proportionally greater than reductions to any other salary

363 schedules adopted by the district. Any compensation for

364 longevity of service awarded to instructional personnel who are

365 on any other salary schedule must be included in calculating the

366 salary adjustments required by sub-subparagraph b.

367 (3)

368 (b) Appearances before the board.—If a district school

369 superintendent appears before the state board to provide an

370 update under s. 1011.62(14)(g) ~~s. 1011.62(14)(e),~~ the state

371 board must require that the president of the collective

372 bargaining unit that represents the school district also must

373 appear.

374 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.