Rewarding Excellence: $2,500 Classroom

Teacher Salary Increase

Executive Office of the Governor

Tallahassee, Florida

March 2013

Governor Rick Scott 2013 Legislative Session

2

Education Rankings in Florida

What Who Rank

Florida College System Southern Reg. Education Board #1, graduation rate, degrees awarded 2012

Colleges Aspen Institute Two in top 10 (Broward, Santa Fe colleges) 2013

Colleges US News & World Report #2 college, Best Online Bachelor’s Degree, Daytona State College 2013

Community Colleges Community College Week Two in top 10 (Brevard, Hillsborough comm. colleges), 16 in top 100 degree producers 2012

College Report Card Inst. for Competitive Workforce As in Access, Efficiency, Innovation 2012

2013 Best Colleges US News & World Report #10 top college in southern region, Indian River State College 2013

Graduation Rates Diplomas Count EdWeek #37 (up from #44 in 2011) 2012

Graduation Rates Diplomas Count EdWeek #1 Hispanic females; #2 all Hispanic graduates; #3 10‐year improvement 2012

Advanced Placement (AP) College Board #1 participation 2013

Advanced Placement (AP) College Board #4 performance (grades >3) 2013

Top 100 High Schools US News & World Report Seven in top 50; 13 in top 100 2012

Best Magnet High Schools US News & World Report Four of top 10 2012

Most Connected High Schools US News & World Report #1 2012

America’s Best High Schools Newsweek Two in top 10 (Stanton College Prep, Suncoast Community schools) ; 10 in top 100 2012

Pre‐K‐12 Quality Counts EdWeek #6 2013

VPK Nat. Inst. for Early Ed Research 1st, enrollment; last, quality 2012

Teacher Quality Nat Council on Teacher Quality #1 2012

Accountability Data Quality Campaign 100% elements/80% actions 2012

Student Achievement Education Next #2, US progress over 10 years 2012

State Policy Report Card StudentsFirst B‐(tied for top in nation w/Louisiana) 2013

8th Grade Science NAEP 62% (5% increase from 2009) 2012

Content Standards/Science Fordham Institute C 2012

Math/Science Readiness Am Inst Physics Science Eng Average 2011

4th ‐Grade Reading (Int’l) PIRLS #2 of 57 education systems 2012

4th ‐Grade Math (Int’l) TIMSS #9 of 56 education systems/above US 2012

8th ‐Grade Math (Int’l) TIMSS #16 of 56 education systems/above US 2012

4th ‐Grade Science (Int’l) TIMSS #7 of 56 education systems/above US 2012

8th ‐Grade Science (Int’l) TIMSS #17 of 56 education systems/above US 2012

EExxcceelllleenntt GGoooodd WWaattcchh CCaauuttiioonn UUnnssaattiissffaaccttoorryy

Source: Florida Department of Education, updated 3/1/13

3

“I am certain of the value our

teachers add to our state.

Teachers change lives. They

shape young minds and

cultivate our future

workforce.”

-Governor Rick Scott

Investing in Florida’s Teachers

….because our classroom teachers are improving student learning through great teaching

Governor Scott recognizes that it is essential to support Florida’s teachers given the great responsibility they have

to prepare our students to be successful in a career or college.

The outstanding work of our teachers is recognized nationally. Florida earned the highest overall grade in the

United States for teacher quality by the National Council on Teacher two years in a row.1 Specifically, Florida

received high marks for making progress in policies and practices governing the teaching profession, including:

delivering well prepared teachers, expanding the teacher pool, indentifying effective teachers, retaining effective

teachers, and removing ineffective teachers. In addition, tenure no longer exists in Florida. Ineffective teachers can

be removed by school management, and principals are now able to put together teams with the state’s best and

brightest educators.

In addition, Florida teachers have earned national recognition by receiving awards for their work with our

students. In fact, for each of the past four years Florida has had a finalist for the National Teacher of the Year, most

recently, a music teacher from Miramar High School.

Figure 1

Florida earns TOP score in US for Overall State Grade on Teacher Quality TWO

Years in a Row

Category 2009 2011 2012

Delivering Well Prepared Teachers

C B- B-

Expanding the Teaching Pool

B- B- *

Identifying Effective Teachers

C- B *

Retaining Effective Teachers

C B- *

Exiting Ineffective Teachers

C B+ *

Source: National Council on Teacher Quality, 2011, 2012 State Teacher Policy Yearbook

*These categories were not used in 2012 report.

4

High Student Performance

….is the result of Florida’s outstanding

classroom teachers

Student success is driven by outstanding classroom teachers, and Florida

students have continually received national and international recognition.

In two international assessments, the 2011 Progress in International

Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)2 and the Trends in International

Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)3, Florida’s students have

outperformed many of their national and global counterparts.

Florida’s fourth- and eighth-grade students shined when it came to math

and science in the 2011 TIMSS assessment. Florida’s fourth-grade average

scale score in math was 9th

out of 57 education systems, and was well

above both the United States and TIMSS average.4 Florida’s eight-grade

average scale score in math was 16th

out of 56 education systems and also

outperformed the United States and TIMSS average scores.5 Finally,

Florida’s fourth- and eighth-grade students were 7th

out of 57, and 17th

out

of 56, respectively, on the TIMSS science assessment.6

Second in the world in reading. Florida ranks 2nd

in the world in fourth

grade reading.7 Florida fourth-grade students’ performance on reading is

internationally recognized as top tier, scoring 2nd

highest among 53

participating education systems, above the United States average, and

significantly above the PIRLS average.8 Florida’s fourth-graders were also

2nd

behind only Singapore in the percentage of students scoring in the

“advanced level,” with 22 percent reaching that impressive benchmark.9

460 480 500 520 540 560 580

STUDY CENTERPOINT

CROATIA

CHINESE TAIPEI

DENMARK

UNITED STATES

NORTHERN IRELAND

SINGAPORE

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

FINLAND

FLORIDA (USA)

HONG KONG SAR

500

553

553

554

556

558

567

568

568

569

571

SOURCE: IEA’S PROGRESS IN INTERNATIONAL READING LITERACY STUDY – PIRLS

Figure 2

Florida Ranks Second in the World For 4th Grade Reading

Florida Teacher Recognitions

Milken Educator Award–2012

Dr. Kevin Williams, principal, Miami

Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching” by Teacher

Magazine, the Milken Educator Awards were

created in 1985 by education reform leader

Lowell Milken to celebrate, elevate and activate

excellence in the profession.

US DOE Teaching Ambassadors Fellows, 2010-11

Classroom Fellow

Pam Smith, online social studies and language arts

instructor for middle and high students through

Okaloosa Online, a part of Florida Virtual Schools,

and a teacher of homebound students in Okaloosa

County. The Teaching Ambassador Fellowships

were created to give outstanding teachers an

opportunity to participate in policy development

and to contribute their expertise to those

discussions.

The National Teachers Hall of Fame

2010–Linda P. Evanchuk, high school English and

journalism teacher, Choctawhatchee High School,

Ft. Walton Beach.

2008–Dr. David Lazerson, PreKindergarten special

education and music teacher.

The Hall of Fame is committed to drawing the

public’s attention to exceptional PreK-12 teachers

through a museum, teacher resource center, and

recognition program which honors five of the

nation’s most outstanding PreK-12 educators each

year.

People Magazine Teacher of the Year–2012

Jennifer Bohn, Maynard Evens High School,

Orlando - One of five winners of the magazine’s

first-ever “Teacher of the Year”. People’s “Teacher

of the Year” Awards honors five extraordinary

educators–nominated by readers and selected by

People’s editors with guidance from an all-star

advisory board of education professionals–who

are changing the lives of their students and paving

the way for a new generation of American

leaders.

Presidential Awards for Excellence in

Mathematics and Science Teaching Award–2011

Steve Fannin, 7-12 Science, Lincoln High School,

Tallahassee, and

Kathleen Jones, 7-12 Mathematics, Surfside

Middle School, Panama City Beach.

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in

Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are

the highest honors bestowed by the United States

government specifically for K-12 mathematics and

science (including computer science) teaching.

Established by Congress in 1983, the PAEMST

program authorizes the President to bestow up to

108 awards each year.

5

Florida is 2nd

in the nation in student achievement growth in the

Education Next study.10

This report examined international and U.S. state

trends in student achievement growth using National Assessment of

Educational Progress (NAEP) math, reading and science data over nearly a

20 year period.11

The study showed Florida students gained 3.2 percent of

a standard deviation annually, well over a year’s worth of additional

learning during the time period.12

The author of the study said on the

subject of U.S. students’ test score gains that, “If the entire country

performed at the level of Florida, the U.S. would have ranked considerably

higher among participating countries.”13

More Florida students are passing AP exams. Florida ranks 4th

in the

nation in the percentage of 2012 public high school graduates scoring a

3 or higher on an AP exam14

(27.3 percent)15

– up from 6th

place last

year16

– rising from 17.4 percent in 200717

and 14.4 percent in 200218

.

Florida reading gains are leading other mega states. Florida gained 16

points on the grade four NAEP reading scale score from 1992 to 2011,

leading all the other Mega-States and the nation.19

Florida eighth-

graders also fared well in reading, increasing 8 points from 1998 to 2011

and highest of the Mega-States.20

58

64

93

78

84

83

96

81

70

92

84

58

55

92

73

82

82

91

72

66

91

82

0 20 40 60 80 100

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

NOT ELIGIBLE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

ELIGIBLE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

FEMALE

MALE

ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER

HISPANIC

AFRICAN-AMERICAN

WHITE

ALL

NATIONAL PUBLIC

FLORIDA

SOURCE: US DOE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS "THE NATIONS REPORT CARD "

Florida is 2nd in the nation in student achievement growth in the Education Next study.

“Student success is driven largely

by our talented classroom

teachers. To retain talent, we

must compensate our educators

appropriately. I commend

Governor Scott for wanting to

raise the salaries of our hard-

working classroom teachers.”

-Commissioner of Education Dr.

Tony Bennett

Figure 3

More Florida Students are Performing At or Above Basic Proficiency

2011 NAEP 4th Grade Mathematics

6

Figure 5

Florida’s Federal Graduation Rate Continues to Rise

SOURCE: US Department of Education

Figure 4

Florida Leads All Other Mega-States and the Nation in Achievement Gains NAEP 4

th Grade Reading and 8

th Grade Math

Average reading score changes for fourth-grade public school students between 1992 and 2011

State Scale Score Change*

Florida +16

California +9

New York +8

Texas +6

Nation +5

Illinois* +3

Average reading score changes for eighth-grade public school students between 1998 and 2011

State Scale Score Change

Florida +8

California +3

Nation +3

New York +1

Texas +0

Illinois* -1

SOURCE: US Department of Education

*NAEP scale score results provide a numeric summary of what students know and can do in a particular subject.

Scale score changes measure changes in achievement results over a period of time.

Florida’s high school graduation rate is increasing. A high school diploma is a cornerstone for success in college

and careers. Florida’s federal graduation rate rose by an unprecedented 3.9 percentage points in 2011-2012, which

resulted in 74.5 percent of Florida students graduating from high school within four years.21

This growth is the

largest single-year increase Florida has seen in the federal graduation rate since 2003.22

Florida Hispanic and African American students’ graduation rates outpace most other states. Education Week’s

2012 Diplomas Count report highlighted Florida’s graduates compared nationally. According to the report, Florida’s

Hispanic and African American students outpace the national graduation rate average by almost 10 and 3.5

percent, respectively,23

and the Florida Hispanic graduating class ranks 2nd

in the nation over all.24

Specifically,

African American students showed the biggest

improvement over the past five years, rising from 50

percent graduating in 2007-2008 to 63.7 percent in

2011-2012.25

Hispanic students also performed

significantly better, with 72.9 percent of students

graduating in 2011-2012–up from 59.8 percent in

2007-2008.26

Hispanic and African American

students in Florida are also much more likely to

graduate from high school than their counterparts

in other states.27

Florida’s dropout rate is decreasing. Florida’s

dropout rate has also decreased 1.9 percent since

2008.28

56.5%

74.5%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%

55.0%

60.0%

65.0%

70.0%

75.0%

80.0%

7

Figure 6

A Timeline Preparing Classroom Teachers to Teach Common Core State Standards

Classroom Teachers’ Responsibilities and Expectations are Increasing

….due to the implementation of the Common Core State Standards In order to prepare our students for college and careers, Florida teachers will be required to differentiate and

include more teaching strategies in instruction as the state's transitions to the Common Core State Standards.

These standards are designed to be robust and reflect the knowledge and skills that our young people need for

future success.29

The adoption of Common Core State Standards will transform the teaching profession and enable teachers to

better identify student progress and provide targeted instruction, support, and interventions to help students

succeed. Instruction for the Common Core State Standards will require teachers to collect evidence of each

student's learning. Students will no longer be repeating content year after year but will progress from grade to

grade and use what is learned in one grade as the foundational knowledge for mastery in the succeeding year.30

Moving forward, teachers will have to adjust their instructional practices to align with the learning goals required

in the Common Core State Standards. Examples include: using an integrated approach for instruction, which

involves teaching a concept and then applying that concept to real life situations; and placing an emphasis on

reading informational text, which stresses the importance of using evidence in the subject being discussed.

2011-2012 Kindergarten – Literacy Standards in Science, Social Studies, and Technical Subjects

Professional Development:

800 Core Content Area Teachers in Reading

150 Career and Technical Education Teachers in Reading

Kindergarten Lead Teachers in English Language Arts and Mathematics

Regional and District Workshops on Literacy Standards

2012-2013 Kindergarten and First Grade – Literacy Standards

Professional Development:

CCSS Summer Institutes for more than 7,500 Educators; 1,800 School and District Teams Including SWD and ELL Experts

Regional Workshops for Grades 6-12 Core, SWD, ELL, and Career and Technical Education Teachers

RTTT Districts Provide Principals PD on the CCSS

2013-2014 K-2 and Blended with NGSSS in 3-12 – Literacy Standards

Professional Development:

CCSS Summer Institutes for K-12 Core Experts, Career and Technology, SWD, ELL, and Administrators

Charter School PD Project

Post Secondary Institute Develops and Implements PD for Pre-service Program and District Use

2014-2015 All Grades Common Core and Literacy Standards

Professional Development:

RTTT Teacher Tools

PD Tools Developed by Post Secondary Institute

8

Figure 7

Florida Regains its Top 10 Standing in the Nation for its K-12 Public Education System

The Common Core State Standards also incorporate the tools used in today's high-tech world, including: word

processing, search engines for conducting research, and math software so that students can build models that help

them understand the underlying math concept. Incorporating these techniques into our classrooms will transform

our learning environment so that our students are better prepared for college and careers.

Implementing Classroom Teacher Performance Pay

….is important to ensure Florida’s great classroom teachers are rewarded in the future

Classroom teachers are ensuring our students are college and career ready by preparing them in areas of core

importance for competing in the global marketplace. In 2011-12, Florida instituted performance compensation to

reward great teachers.31

Governor Scott is committed to implementing and funding performance compensation in

the 2014-2015 fiscal year, when this law is scheduled to go into effect.

Over the past few years, Florida has adopted a new statewide framework for classroom teachers’ evaluations that

make student learning growth a predominant factor in determining effectiveness. Florida law requires school

districts to implement systems to identify, recruit, reward, and retain great teachers.32

This includes an annual

teacher evaluation based at least 50 percent on student learning growth.33

The law also eliminated tenure for new

and not-yet tenured teachers.34

Teachers who currently have tenure have the option to retain tenure and the

current salary schedule, or may give up tenure and opt for a new performance salary schedule.35

72

74

76

78

80

82

84

86

88

90

MD MA NY VA AR FL GA NJ WV KY VT OH WI TX LA CT RI PA DE IN

SOURCE: Education Week Quality Counts, 2013

Ove

rall

Gra

de

9

Our highest rated teachers, as a group, show more student learning growth than other teachers. The new

evaluation process Florida has developed is effective because it gives teachers the tools they need to adapt the

way they teach throughout the year to help students based on their ongoing needs. As such, the teacher

evaluation drives improved instructional practice, which, in turn, results in increased student performance.36

By 2014, Florida’s classroom teachers will be a part of the performance pay system that will reward Florida

teachers through meaningful evaluations that factor in the teacher’s impact on our students.37

In the meantime,

our schools have strong accountability measures, and student success continues to be driven by outstanding

classroom teachers. Comparing teachers across the nation, Florida’s teachers continue to compete and excel at a

high level and should be compensated accordingly.

The annual Quality Counts report by Education Week released in January 2013 grades states on a variety of factors

necessary for student success.38

In this report, Florida is measured on K-12 achievement; standards, assessments,

and accountability; the teaching profession; school finance indicators; transitions and alignment; and the chance

for success.39

The dedication and hard work of our teachers is evident in the fact that our students and teachers

were ranked 6th

for educational quality by Education Week.40

Florida earned a grade of “A” in two categories:

Standards, Assessment, and Accountability and Transition and Alignment, and was in the top 5 in the Teaching

Profession category.41

Figure 8

Florida Receives an "A" Grade on School Standards, Assessment, and Accountability

School Accountability – GRADE “A” Florida *Nation

State Ratings–State assigns ratings to call schools on criteria other than average yearly progress Yes 24

Statewide student ID–State has a statewide student-identification system Yes 51

Rewards–State providers rewards to high-performing or improving schools Yes 37

Assistance–State provides assistance to low-performing schools Yes 36

Sanctions–State Sanctions low performing schools Yes 32

*Nation indicates the number of states that enacted a particular policy.

SOURCE: Education Weeks Quality Counts, 2013

10

“Investing in our teachers and our

education system is the key to our state’s

continued economic growth.”

-Governor Rick Scott

Now is the time to increase our classrooms teachers’ salaries

….because Florida’s classroom teachers support accountability,

student performance is rising, and teachers have increased

responsibilities

Governor Scott believes it is important to support Florida’s teachers given the responsibility they have in preparing

our students for a career or college. Because of this, Governor Scott recommends $480 million in funding for a

salary increase of $2,500, plus related benefits covering the Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) and the

Florida Retirement System (FRS), for all full-time kindergarten through grade 12 public school teachers. In addition,

full-time prekindergarten exceptional student education instructors funded through the Florida Education Finance

Program (FEFP) are eligible for the salary increase.

This funding will provide an approximate raise of 5.5 percent—when compared to the state average teacher salary

of $45,380—for nearly 168,000 teachers across the state

including:

o Classroom teachers

o Exceptional student education (ESE) teachers

o Pre-K exceptional student education (ESE) teachers

o Pre-K teachers

o Adult education teachers teaching students in

courses that earn credit towards graduation

o Career education teachers

Governor Scott also provided in his Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-14 $70 million in additional funding

that a district could utilize to provide salary increases for other personnel. This is included in the total base funding

of approximately $18.5 billion in the public education K-12 budget.

Governor Scott believes education is a top priority, starting with our teachers. Florida must have high-skilled and

educated workers that can compete internationally. As the state continues to create jobs and opportunities,

investments in education will continue to drive economic growth.

11

1National Council on Teacher Quality, State Teacher Policy National Reports, http://www.nctq.org/stpy11/reports.jsp (last visited 2/28/13). 2 Thompson, S. et. al, “Highlights from PIRLS 2011: Reading Achievement of U.S. Fourth-Grade Students in an International Context”, Dec. 2012. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2013/2013010.pdf (last visited 2/28/13). 3 Provasnik, S. et. al., “Mathematics and Science Achievement of U.S. Fourth- and Eighth-Grade Students in an International Context”, Dec. 2012, http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2013/2013009_1.pdf (last visited 2/28/13). 4 Id. 5 Id. 6 Id. 7 Thompson, S. et. al, “Highlights from PIRLS 2011: Reading Achievement of U.S. Fourth-Grade Students in an International Context”, Dec. 2012. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2013/2013010.pdf (last visited 2/28/13). 8 Id. 9 Id. 10 Hanushek, E. et. al., “Is the U.S. Catching Up?”, Education Next, Fall 2012, http://educationnext.org/is-the-us-catching-up/ (last visited 2/28/13). 11 Id. Hanushek, e. et. al., “Achievement Growth: International and U.S. State Trends in Student Performance”, Harvard’s Program on Education Policy & Governance, Education Next, et. al., July 2012, p. 29, http://www.hks.harvard.edu/pepg/PDF/Papers/PEPG12-03_CatchingUp.pdf, (last visited 2/28/13). 13 Florida Department of Education, “Florida Ranks Second in Nation for Test-Score Improvement”, July 16, 2012, http://www.fldoe.org/news/2012/2012_07_16-3.asp (last visited 2/28/13). 14“The 9th Annual AP Report to the Nation”, College Board, Feb. 13, 2013, p.17, http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/rtn/9th-annual/9th-annual-ap-report-single-page.pdf, (last visited 2/28/13) 15 “The 9th Annual AP Report to the Nation, Florida state supplement”, College Board, Feb. 13, 2013, p. 3, http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/rtn/9th-annual/9th-annual-ap-report-state-supplement-florida.pdf, (last visited 2/28/13). 16“The 8th Annual AP Report to the Nation”, College Board, Feb. 8, 2012, p.13, http://apreport.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/downloads/pdfs/AP_Main_Report_Final.pdf (last visited 2/28/13). 17 Id., p. 18. 18 Id. 19“Mega-States: An Analysis of Student Performance in the Five Most Heavily Populated States in the Nation”, The Nations Report Card, p. 10, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/main2011/2013450.pdf, (last visited 2/28/13). 20 Id. 21 Florida Department of Education, “Data Report: Florida’s Federal High School Graduation Rates and Dropout Rates, 2011-12”, Nov. 2012, report on file with OPB Staff. 22 Florida Department of Education, “Florida Sees Jump in 2012 High School Graduation Rate”, Nov. 30, 2012, http://www.fldoe.org/news/2012/2012_11_30-2/2012_11_30-2.asp (last visited 2/28/13). 23 Matthews, C., “National Graduation Rate Keeps Climbing; 1.1 Million Students Still Fail to Earn Diplomas”, Education Week, June 7, 2012, p. 5, http://www.edweek.org/media/diplomascount2012_presspacket_final.pdf (last visited 2/28/13). 24 Id. 25 Id. 26 Id. 27 Id. 28 Florida Department of Education, “Data Report: Florida’s Federal High School Graduation Rates and Dropout Rates, 2011-12”, Nov. 2012, Report on file with OPB Staff. 29 See http://www.corestandards.org/ (last visited 2/28/13). 30 Common Core State Standards Initiative, the standards, see http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards (last visited 2/28/13) 31 Ch. 2011-1, L.O.F. see http://laws.flrules.org/2011/1 (last visited 2/28/13). 32 Id. 33 Id. 34 Id. 35 Id. 36 Chancellor Pam Stewart, Division of K-12, Florida Department of Education 37 Ch. 2011-1, L.O.F. see http://laws.flrules.org/2011/1 (last visited 2/28/13). 38 Matthews, C., “State and National Grades Issued for Education Performance, Policy; U.S. Earns a C-plus, Maryland Ranks First for Fifth Straight Year”, Education Week, Jan. 10, 2013, http://www.edweek.org/media/QualityCounts2013_Release.pdf, (last visited 2/28/13). 39 Quality Counts 2013 Executive Summary”, Education Week, “http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/01/10/16execsum.h32.html?intc=EW-QC13-LFTNAV, (last visited 2/28/13). 40 Hightower, Amy, “States show Spotty Progress Across Swath of Education Gauges”, Quality Counts 2013, Education Week, Vol. 32, Number 16, Jan. 10, 2013, Copy on file with OPB staff. 41“Quality Counts 2013 – State Report Cards”, Education Wee, http://www.edweek.org/ew/qc/2013/state_report_cards.html (last visited 2/28/13).