Broward school board member proposes big pay bump for teachers
FORT LAUDERDALE - Broward's public school teachers could become the highest paid in the state with compensation in the six-figure range.
That's according to a new proposal by school board member Alex Zeman. According to the outline, teachers would earn $80,000 by 2025 or $100,000 when benefits are included. A district report currently shows teachers, on average, have a base salary of around $66,000.
While there is excitement among teachers, the plan has been met with criticism as well. Some have questioned how much this will cost the school district. They are projecting this would cost roughly $182 million over the next four years.
Zeman said the district can afford it since it is getting a 9.1 increase in state funding this year.
His plan would also raise the average salary for a principal or assistant principal from $114,000 to $127,000 a year.
The plan may also include closing about 40 schools with low enrollment, but that is something that will likely need community input.
There will be a workshop in the future to further discuss the pay bump and then a special meeting to approve it if there is interest.