Balancing School Choice with Public School Reform in Florida

The Teacher Crisis: Why Are Our Classrooms Empty?

Let’s start with what’s probably the biggest problem in Florida’s education system: the teachers. Or, more accurately, the lack of them. Florida is facing a massive teacher shortage. It’s so bad that many schools are having to scramble just to find enough teachers to cover basic subjects. You’ve probably heard of schools asking retirees to come back or trying to fill classrooms with long-term substitutes who don’t have the training that full-time teachers do. And, while they’re doing the best they can, let’s be honest—this is not a long-term solution.

So, what’s driving this shortage? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. Teachers in Florida are overworked, underpaid, and dealing with an increasing amount of pressure, both from the state and from the day-to-day demands of the job. Florida teachers rank among the lowest paid in the country, and even though there have been efforts to raise salaries, it’s often not enough to make a meaningful difference.

Think about it—these are professionals who are tasked with shaping the future of our children, yet they’re working second jobs just to keep the lights on. That’s not sustainable, and it’s certainly not a way to attract new talent to the field. If you’re a college graduate with a choice between a high-stress, low-pay job in teaching or a better-paying job in almost any other field, what are you going to pick? The result? Fewer and fewer people are choosing to become teachers, and the ones we do have are leaving the profession at alarming rates. And who can blame them?

Low Pay, High Expectations: Teachers Deserve Better

Let’s talk about pay for a moment, because this is where the rubber meets the road. Florida’s teachers are paid shockingly little for the amount of work they do. You can’t expect people to stay in a profession that doesn’t pay them enough to live comfortably, especially when they’re working 10 to 12 hours a day, grading papers at home, and buying classroom supplies out of their own pockets.

When we talk about teacher shortages, this is where it starts. If Florida truly wants to attract and retain quality teachers, we need to start paying them like the professionals they are. We need to make teaching an attractive career again, where people feel valued and respected. This isn’t just about throwing money at the problem—it’s about giving teachers the support they need to do their jobs well.

Families are starting to see the direct impact of this issue. Parents want to know that when they send their kids off to school, they’re being taught by someone who’s not burnt out, not struggling to pay their bills, and not on the verge of quitting. The state has tried to offer some modest salary increases, but it’s a classic case of too little, too late. If we want to stop the bleeding, we need to do better—and voters are starting to demand it.

Book Bans: The Latest Distraction in Our Classrooms

As if teacher shortages and low pay weren’t enough, Florida is now in the middle of a heated debate over book bans in schools. Parents, educators, and lawmakers are fighting over what kinds of materials should be allowed in classrooms and libraries. On the surface, the argument is framed as “protecting children from inappropriate content,” but in reality, it’s turned into a culture war that’s distracting from the real issues plaguing our education system.

Let’s face it, book bans aren’t new, but the way they’ve taken center stage in Florida’s education debate is alarming. Instead of focusing on how to fix our schools, we’re spending time and energy on what books students can and can’t read. And parents are noticing that this is pulling focus away from what really matters: making sure our schools are properly funded, teachers are paid well, and students are getting the education they deserve.

Whether you agree with these book bans or not, one thing is clear: they’re not solving the bigger problems. They’re simply adding another layer of confusion and frustration for teachers and parents alike. Schools should be places where ideas are explored, not stifled. But right now, it feels like the priorities are all wrong, and it’s our students who are paying the price.

School Choice: A Blessing or a Burden?

Florida has been at the forefront of the school choice movement for years. And while there’s a lot to be said for giving parents more control over their children’s education, the reality is a little more complicated. Sure, school choice sounds great—parents should absolutely have the right to choose what’s best for their kids. But here’s the problem: not every family can take advantage of those choices.

For many families, public schools are the only viable option. They can’t afford private school tuition, and even if they could, many families don’t have the time or money to drive their kids to a charter school that’s outside of the busing area. For single parents or families where both parents have to work full-time just to get by, public schools are their only choice.

And that’s why it’s so important that we don’t neglect our public schools as we expand school choice. Yes, parents should have options, but those options shouldn’t come at the expense of the vast majority of students who still attend public schools. We need to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time—support school choice while also ensuring that our public schools are well-funded and staffed with top-quality teachers.

Cutting the Fat: Where Can We Find the Money?

So, how do we fix all of this? Where do we find the money to raise teacher salaries, attract quality educators, and fund our public schools properly? The answer isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible either. The truth is, there’s a lot of waste in our education budgets, and if we’re willing to take a hard look at where the money’s going, we can find ways to reallocate resources to where they’re most needed.

First off, let’s trim the bureaucratic fat. There are layers upon layers of administrative costs that often don’t directly benefit students or teachers. By streamlining some of these expenses, we could free up a significant amount of money that could go toward increasing teacher salaries or improving classroom resources.

Second, we need to start offering real incentives to attract top-tier educators. Housing assistance, student loan forgiveness, signing bonuses—these are all tools we could be using to bring the best and brightest teachers to Florida. We have to make teaching here not just a job, but a career people aspire to. Right now, that’s simply not the case.

Balancing Choice and Public Education: It’s Possible

At the end of the day, this isn’t an either-or situation. We can have both school choice and a strong public education system. But we have to be smart about it. Public schools are the lifeblood of our communities, and we can’t allow them to fail while we focus on expanding other options.

Florida’s lawmakers need to prioritize finding a balance. We need to continue expanding educational freedom, but not at the expense of our public schools. It’s time to take a hard look at where we can cut waste, invest in teachers, and make sure every student—regardless of where they live or how much money their family has—has access to a quality education.

The Final Word: A Brighter Future for Florida’s Kids

The future of Florida’s education system doesn’t have to be grim. With the right focus and a commitment to fixing the real issues—teacher pay, classroom resources, and smart budgeting—we can turn things around. School choice is important, but it’s not a silver bullet. Public schools are still the heart of our communities, and they need to be treated as such.

The truth is, Florida’s education system is at a crossroads. The decisions we make today will impact our children’s futures for years to come. We can continue down this path of teacher shortages, low pay, and politically driven distractions, or we can make the hard choices now to fix the system. Voters are paying attention, and they’re ready for change. Let’s give them something to believe in.

Written By: Stephen Despin Jr. | Founder/Contributor