Governor Rick Scott wants to give the state's teachers a raise, but some are skeptical of the governor's motives.
Governor Scott says his plans to raise teacher pay are good for teachers, for students and for the state. The proposal comes as the state is expecting its first budget surplus in six years, and Scott says he wants to spend some of that money boosting teacher pay.But skeptics see the governor's pitch as part of a campaign move to boost his low approval ratings. The head of the United Teachers of Dade tells the Miami Herald, "no one is fooled by this."
The average teacher salary in Florida is about $46,000 a year. That's $10,000 behind the national average.
The head of the statewide teachers union says teacher pay is decided county by county. So in the end it will be up to county school boards to decide how any additional money is spent.
The governor, whose daughter is a public school teacher, will announce the details of his plan today at school near Orlando.