Once again, School-Related Employees are being left out of pay increases as the Florida Legislature and local school boards only focus on increasing teacher pay.
Let me be clear, teachers deserve higher pay. What is not being discussed is how teachers cannot do their job without the help and support of school custodians, bus drivers, secretaries and office staff, security monitors, classroom aides, etc.
Leon County Schools’ School-Related Employees just got a pay increase of seven cents per hour. Seven cents!
While the legislature points the finger at districts and districts point the finger at the legislature, School-Related Employees are struggling to pay increasing rent costs, grocery prices, medicine, and more.
A single mom who is a secretary at Leon County Schools must pay almost $800/month to add her child to insurance. That same secretary who brings home only $2,200 a month does not qualify for Florida KidCare or assistance to help with prescriptions and the medical needs for her and her child. When she pays rent, utilities, etc., there is less than $300 for the rest of the month to pay for groceries, gas, prescriptions, and other incidentals.