PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to reward tens of thousands of teachers and principals who have made countless sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at Palm Harbor University High School on Wednesday, DeSantis said he's asking the Florida Legislature to approve $216 million in funding to give $1,000 bonuses to public school principals and classroom teachers in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
"Our Florida teachers and school principals have put student success first throughout the course of the coronavirus pandemic," DeSantis said.
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If the plan is approved, the governor said nearly 180,000 full-time teachers and more than 3,600 principals would receive bonuses.
The money would come from the state's Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), which is part of the federal CARES Act.
DeSantis is asking the Florida Legislature to approve the funding during its current legislative session so the bonuses can be distributed "as soon as possible."
This article was written by WPTV.
