Florida districts big and small ask voters to boost taxes for teacher pay

The big story: As Florida school districts work to fill their teaching vacancies, improving salaries remain a key goal.

Many of them are asking voters to approve or renew local-option property taxes to generate revenue beyond what the state funding system provides. The issue has become clear in urban areas such as Tampa Bay, where Hillsborough County officials say they need a new tax to compete with its neighbors, while Pinellas County leaders are seeking to increase their 20-year-old referendum rate to match those of Pasco and Manatee counties.

Manatee’s request for a tax renewal also is on the November ballot.

It’s not just impacting the big districts, though.

Franklin and Gulf counties, which sit south of Tallahassee on the Gulf of Mexico, also are holding referendums this fall as they vie for teachers in an area where other districts have better pay. “If the matter loses, our schools will be dumpster fires. They will become literally undesirable,” Gulf superintendent Jim Norton told the Apalachicola Times.

Contract negotiations continue for teachers across the state. Collier County teachers are the latest to reach a tentative agreement, WINK reports.

Hot topics

School threats: Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood publicly posted the mugshot of an 11-year-old arrested for making threats of violence against schools, and said more would come in his effort to stress that school threats are no joke, Associated Press reports. • Alachua County schools are adopting a new emergency notification system, WUFT reports.

Partisan elections: Debate is heating up over whether to return to partisan school board elections in Florida, a question that appears on the November ballot, Politico Florida reports.

Metal detectors: Gov. Ron DeSantis said he sees no need to create a state mandate for metal detectors at schools, WFSU reports. • A Columbia County high school installed metal detectors for students to pass through, as a way to prevent weapons on campus, WCJB reports. Officials said the action was not in response to school threats.

Exit interviews: A review of exit interview forms from Florida teachers who resigned their posts over the summer offers insights into their feelings about the job, WTSP reports.

College prep: The private Catholic school Cristo Rey Tampa High is part of a national network providing inner-city youth with rigorous college prep work, WTVT reports.

City fees: Leon County schools have not paid city fire or stormwater fees for years, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. The invoices are approaching $3 million.

Attendance zones: The Volusia County school district is preparing to redraw some school boundaries in its effort to balance enrollment between under- and over-capacity campuses, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.

From the police blotter ... A Brevard County school bus driver was arrested on allegations of assaulting a student, WOFL reports.

In higher ed

President pay: Florida State University trustees approved a 10% raise for president Richard McCullough, bringing his base salary to $1.1 million, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. He also received a $320,000 bonus.

College costs: Gov. Ron DeSantis touted the value of Florida’s Prepaid College Tuition program during a school visit Monday, WFLA reports.

Academic freedom: A survey of Florida university professors showed more than one-third had looked for jobs in other states amid concerns that the future of academic freedom is on the wane, Florida Phoenix reports.

Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.

Before you go ... Election Day is fast approaching. The cast of Hamilton wants you to remember to vote.