The NBC6 and Telemundo 51 annual teacher survey tackles a wide range of topics from salaries and class sizes to school safety and the impact of social media. This year, close to 1,000 South Florida educators participated, sharing their insights on what it’s like to be a teacher in South Florida.
“I think it’s great for the public,” said Karla Hernandez-Mats, president of United Teachers of Dade.
Hernandez-Mats said the informal survey was a useful tool.
“As an educator and as a person that deals with schools on a daily basis, we know when we have the pulse of what our teachers are feeling,” she said. “But it’s great to talk about this in a broader sense and make sure that the community also understands how we feel.”
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Both unions helped NBC6 by sending out the survey, but they had no say in the questions asked.
“People don’t want to leave this profession,” said Anna Fusco, the president of the Broward Teachers Union. “They love our students.”
But Fusco said teachers are facing growing challenges.
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“They feel the cost of living is extremely hard and high,” Fusco said. “Our pay is not meeting the needs of being able to afford to live.”
The survey found affordability was the top concern by far, with 98% of teachers surveyed saying they worry about keeping up with the cost of living in South Florida. Both union leaders said that’s contributing to staffing shortages.
“We do know that when there is a shortage of teachers, that is going to increase class size,” Hernandez-Mats said. “It really creates a dynamic that’s not positive for the educator who wants to come into the classroom and it’s making it very difficult to recruit and retain qualified people.”
Miami-Dade Public Schools reported 168 teacher vacancies at the beginning of the school year, and Broward reported 148. Both districts told NBC6 those numbers were historically low. But 63% of the teachers who participated in the survey said there was not enough staff in their schools.
“The district is trying its best to deploy, whether it’s administrators, people who have been teaching and have a teaching license but are working in other aspects of education, to make sure that there is a certified teacher in front of students and that students are getting the education that they need,” Hernandez-Mats said.
Miami-Dade Public Schools partnered with Miami Dade College to hire education students under supervision.
“There’s workforce issues across all industries,” said Manny Diaz Jr, the Florida Commissioner of Education. “And so you gotta come up with solutions of how you do this.”
NBC6 and Telemundo 51 recently asked Commissioner Diaz about the concerns teachers had about overpay.
“We would like to continue to see school districts become more efficient and use more dollars directly in the classroom to pay teachers because that’s what matters,” Diaz Jr. said.
In a statement, Broward Public Schools told NBC6: “We value the feedback and input of BCPS employees and encourage them to reach out to their school leaders if they have any concerns or suggestions to enhance the learning environment and improve our school district as a whole.”
Miami-Dade also said in a statement:
“Miami-Dade County Public Schools is committed to offering a safe, innovative learning environment for its students and a welcoming, enriching environment full of opportunities for its teachers and employees. We are an ‘A-rated’ school district for five years, which is proof of our commitment to excellence and innovation in education. Through strategic partnerships and grant opportunities, the District offers innovative ways to attract, hire, develop, and retain high-quality teachers who provide our students with the world-class education they deserve. Thank you, NBC6 and Telemundo 51, for listening to our teachers.”
Both unions point to state laws that limit teaching about race, gender identity and sexuality as reasons why some teachers are having second thoughts about the profession. State leaders said they are just protecting students.
