PASCO COUNTY, Fla. -- Teachers in one Bay Area county are looking for a raise.
- Budget will be presented at Tuesday night meeting
- President of union worried teachers may leave county
- Many teachers expected to attend Tuesday meeting
The new budget for 2019-20 in Pasco County will be presented Tuesday night but it doesn’t include more money for staff.
Don Peace, president of the teachers union, United School Employees of Pasco, worries good teachers will leave the county if they aren’t given a better salary.
“We’re at a critical stage in teaching. There is a critical shortage in our state. We want to take care of the highly qualified people in Pasco. We’d like to keep them here,” Peace said.
Superintendent Kurt Browning disagrees that teachers are going to leave for neighboring districts.
“I don’t subscribe to that,” Browning said. “We have not seen it. I will tell you the grass is not always greener on the other side of the county line.”
Both Browning and Peace say the state legislature didn’t do Pasco County any favors for next year. But Browning feels there may still be money available after October enrollment numbers come in.
“I’d like to get money into their pockets as soon as possible,” Browning said.
The school system is also getting feedback from teachers on an idea of making teacher work days longer in exchange for more pay. That idea is still a long time from getting decided on.
Peace says the union rejects that idea and that the school board can find more money now for raises.
“If they make it a priority, we feel the money is there,” Peace said.
The superintendent will submit the new budget Tuesday night at the school board meeting. One highlight: there are no layoffs in it.
A lot of teachers are expected to be present.