Riverview Resident Questions Teacher Raises, Other Staff Needs

Riverview residents may have noticed recent discussions concerning teacher salaries within the Polk County school district. The Polk County School Board approved a motion on September 8 to allocate funds for teacher raises, but one local resident believes the focus is misplaced.

Lisa Desroches commented that the emphasis on teacher salaries overlooks other essential school personnel. "Why is it always about the teachers? They do not run the schools by themselves," Desroches wrote. "The board should worry more about the custodians, school nutritionists, secretaries, paras, bus drivers, maintenance workers, and so on."

The approved motion directs approximately $6.7 million toward salary increases for classroom teachers with at least ten years of experience in Florida. This initiative will benefit 2,707 teachers during the 2026–2027 school year. Teachers are defined in the motion as those with a designated classroom space who directly supervise students.

Remaining funds will go to non-classroom teachers with ten or more years of experience, including roles such as special education teachers, librarians, and ESL teachers.

The salary increases aim to address the teacher shortage in Polk County, which has about 500 instructional vacancies affecting 10% of the district's classrooms. The school board voted unanimously for the motion, and the higher salaries for experienced classroom teachers are effective immediately.

Desroches argued that teachers already earn good salaries compared to other school staff. "They are so underpaid and so disrespected all the time," she said, referring to custodians, nutritionists, secretaries, paras, bus drivers, and maintenance workers. "Teachers do not do everything themselves but get all the perks and raises."

The Polk County School Board's decision on salary increases for experienced classroom teachers took effect immediately after the September 8 vote.