Florida governor Ron DeSantis announced he wants to relax regulations to encourage retired law enforcement and first responders to fill vacant teacher positions as the state grapples with a shortage of educators.
DeSantis is hoping to expand on a law that took effect this year that allows military veterans to earn a five-year temporary certificate to teach before they earn the usually required bachelor’s degree.
While retired law enforcement and first responders must have a bachelor’s degree due to current regulations, DeSantis touted a $4,000 bonus for those who sign up, and a further $1,000 for positions that are experiencing severe shortages.
‘We believe that the folks that have served our communities have an awful lot to offer,’ DeSantis said at an event in Port Richey on Tuesday.
He said those who are retired from law enforcement are looking for ‘the next chapter in their life,’ and teaching provides the perfect outlet for that.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis has indicated he wants to encourage retired law enforcement and first responders to fill vacant teaching roles, and will offer $4,000 bonuses
Annual teaching salary is down about 13 percent in Florida since the 2009-2010 school year, which may explain why less people are aiming to become teachers
The governor also indicated he would be waiving exam fees for first responders and law enforcement for the certification necessary for teaching, just as he had done for military veterans.
DeSantis is a vocal supporter of law enforcement officers and has invoked hiring bonuses as a way to inspire more people to join police departments.
He also said people can take advantage of both incentives in Florida by first joining a local police department and then applying to become a teacher.
While the Florida Department of Education estimated in February they would need to fill approximately 9,000 vacant teacher positions, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity found 5,837 open teaching positions online in June, up 53 percent from June of 2021.
In the 2019 to 2020 school year, Florida colleges and universities graduated around 3,380 teachers despite an estimated 9,080 vacancies, according to a report from the Florida Education Association.
Many believe the shortage is driven by a lack of fair pay for teachers, and a report by Florida TaxWatch found annual teaching salary is down about 13 percent in the state since the 2009 to 2010 school year.
While many support DeSantis’ proposals, some educators have raised questions over whether the candidates from these professions are suitable to teach.
Carmen Ward, president of the Alachua County teachers union, told the Gainesville Sun that some teachers are ‘dismayed’ at the propositions because ‘now someone with just a high school education can pass the test and can easily get a five-year temporary certificate.’
DeSantis laid out his plan for encouraging different professionals to apply to become teachers, including financial bonuses and relaxed regulations
DeSantis hit back at the criticism and reiterated his view that military veterans are capable of teaching, saying ‘as a veteran, I will tell you the people that serve our country are not just some warm body.’
Eligible veterans would need 48 months of active-duty military service with an honorable discharge or a medical separation.
The governor also hit out at the current state of schools, which he claimed are ‘overtaken by ideology,’ which he believes is a ‘turn off for many people.’
‘We are saying teaching is not about learning quote, unquote education in college, it’s really about having proficiency in subjects and then learning on the ground about how to do it,’ DeSantis said.
Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said at the press conference that it is ‘common sense’ to encourage first responders and law enforcement to get into teaching, as they can provide education with a ‘great twist.’
‘From math, our economic detectives, they can talk a lot about how math is used. From psychology, healthcare, mental health issues, we have firsthand experience. We’ve been there and done that,’ Nocco said.