Teachers in Miami-Dade County are preparing for a financial hit because of millions of dollars owed to charter schools – and educators say they never saw it coming.
“They should give us the raises we deserve and they should treat us properly,” said Karla Hernandez-Mats, president of United Teachers of Dade.
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Her recent letter to teachers explains the financial crunch.
The district settled with Miami-Dade charter schools, committing to pay them $179 million, funding that school district officials say is owed to charter schools.
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Because of the IOU, the union says the school district will do the following:
- Slash $33 million from funding for student devices
- $10 million would be cut from IT infrastructure
- $20 million will be taken from capital improvements
- $20 million from funds earmarked for teachers’ raises.
Voters passed referendums in 2018 and 2022 specifically for teacher raises.
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UTD and the district are in the middle of negotiations for salary and benefits for this school year.
Hernandez-Mats says Superintendent Jose Dotres visited the bargaining session Monday and said they have no referendum funds for raises for the current year.
School board member Robert Alonso insists teachers will get their fair share.
“This is not impacting our teachers," he said. "Our teachers and all of our employees are still our priority in making sure that we enhance their salaries, as well as their health benefits."
A statement from the school district administration reiterated that point: “The $179 million payment to Charter Schools will not prevent the District from enhancing teacher salaries. We are currently engaged in the collective bargaining process to address teacher compensation and healthcare benefits across the District.”
