Photo: Digital Vision
As teachers return to their classrooms on Monday, they'll be wondering whether the raises approved by the Palm Beach County School Board will be going into effect soon.
The board last week approved pay increases of 3.5 percent on average for teachers, based on their effectiveness rating.
If members of the Classroom Teachers Association approve it, those raises will be retroactive to last July.
They'll also get one-time bonuses of $1,500 in June.
While some teachers have said 3.5 percent is not nearly enough considering the rise of inflation, Superintendent Michael Burke says the school district's funding is determined by the state and with lower enrollment numbers, they're doing the best they can. He says enrollment drives school funding.
As it sits, Palm Beach County public school teachers have a higher average annual salary, at $53,500, than the state average of just over $51,000.
Those numbers come from the Florida Department of Education.