More Pay For Hillsborough Teachers To Be Decided At Ballot Box

Hillsborough County, FL — Faced with a critical shortage of teachers, bus drivers and other school personnel while dealing with an increasing number of students moving into Hillsborough County, one of the fastest-growing areas in the country, the Hillsborough County School District is asking voters to open their wallets.

The district plans to put a referendum on the Aug. 23 ballot asking voters to approve a 1-mil tax increase for schools. Without the funding from the tax referendum, Superintendent Addison Davis said Hillsborough County's schools could lose some of its most talented teachers.

Davis said the tax referendum is intended to put Hillsborough County on a level playing field with other counties, including 21 Florida counties that have already approved a tax referendum to lure teachers with higher salaries.

Following the difficulties of teaching during the coronavirus pandemic and now contending with rising inflation rates, Davis said there's been a mass exodus of educators from the teaching profession to private industry with higher-paying jobs.

“From our teachers, to support staff, to our school-based leaders, to our district staff, we’re just trying to find a way to compete," he said.

Hillsborough County Public Schools currently has more than 220,000 students and 23,815 school personnel, 14,181 are teachers of which are teachers.

However, at various times throughout the school year, the district has a shortage of 400 teachers and about 575 support staff, he said. The problem worsened during the pandemic. Over the past two years, resignations and retirements have created more than 1,000 position open in the school district, according to Davis.

The 1-mil increase would raise about $146 million annually over a four-year period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2027.

One mil is equal to $1 per every $1,000 of taxable property value.

If the referendum is approved, homeowners can expect to pay an additional:

• $125 a year for a home valued at $150,000
• $175 a year for a home valued at $200,000
• $225 a year for a home valued at $250,000
• $275 a year for a home valued at $300,000

Davis said about 75 percent of those funds would be used to increase pay for teachers, media specialists and counselors, bus drivers and transportation assistants, classroom assistants and non-instructional support staff.

He said he hopes to increase teacher salaries by an average of $4,000 a year and the salaries of support staff by an average of $2,000.

The remaining funds would go to art, music and physical education programs, including hiring 45 art teachers, 67 music teachers and 37 PE teachers at the elementary school level.

Tax money will also be used to expand health courses in middle schools and purchase art supplies, musical instruments, band uniforms, audio-visual equipment and physical education equipment.

Additionally, the school district hopes to use tax money to fund workforce development and education program including air-conditioning and refrigeration training, plumbing, building construction, electrical, nursing and physical therapy programs.

While Gov. Ron DeSantis appropriated $800 million in the 2022 budget to raise minimum teacher salaries to $47,500 a year, Davis said that increase only impacts a third of the state's teachers.

"Experienced teachers only received small raises, and many found themselves making the same or slightly more than beginning teachers, creating a significant disparity," he said. "This is one of the reasons our experienced teachers are leaving the profession."

School district officials have been touring the county to explain the referendum to voters and garner support.

Among the top questions asked at the first two meetings held July 11 at Middleton High School and July 13 at Armwood High School is why is the school district is seeking more funds when voters just approved a half-penny sales tax four years ago.

The half-penny sales tax, approved in 2018, raises $121 to $131 million a year for 10 years. However, Davis said, that money can only be spent on capital improvements for schools such as replacing air-conditioning units, installing new roofs and repairing parking lots and sidewalks.

Upcoming community meetings will take place:

• July 20 at Sumner High School from 6 t0 7:30 p.m. 6-7:30 p.m.
• July 25 at Alonso High School from 6 t0 7:30 p.m. 6-7:30 p.m.
• July 27 at Riverview High School from 6 t0 7:30 p.m. 6-7:30 p.m.
• Aug. 1, there will be virtual meetings at noon and 5:30 p.m.
• Aug. 2 at Gaither High School from 6 t0 7:30 p.m. 6-7:30 p.m.

To cast a vote in the primary, voters must be registered by July 25. Early voting takes place Aug. 8 to 21. For voter information, visit the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections website.