Representative Jervonte Edmonds (D-West Palm Beach) today called on the Florida Legislature to prioritize teachers in the upcoming session in order to address the state’s teacher shortage.
“Our teachers are facing a crisis,” said Representative Edmonds. “They are underpaid, overworked, and under-resourced. This is having a devastating impact on our public schools, and it is time for us to take action.”
According to the Florida Education Association, there are currently over 7,000 teacher and 5,000 support staff vacancies in the state. This is the worst teacher shortage in Florida’s history.
The shortage is being driven by a number of factors, including low pay, rising costs of living, and a lack of support for teachers.
“Teachers are not asking for a lot,” said Representative Edmonds. “They just want to be paid a fair wage for the important work that they do. They want to have access to the resources they need to succeed. And they want to be treated with respect.”
Rep. Edmonds is calling on the Legislature to take the following steps to address the teacher shortage:
- Increase teacher pay to at least the national average.
- Provide additional funding for teacher training and professional development.
- Reduce the number of standardized tests that teachers have to administer.
- Create a more supportive environment for teachers, including smaller class sizes and more mental health resources.
“If we don’t fix this problem, it will be to the detriment of our public education,” he added. “Our children deserve to have the best teachers possible, and we need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to attract and retain them.”
