The average Florida teacher's salary has dropped to 50th in the country, according to a new report released by the National Education Association.
The average teacher pay in the state was ranked 48th out of 50 states and D.C. just last year before it dipped yet again to the bottom of the pack.
The Florida Education Association (FEA) has been asking lawmakers to increase funding by $2.5 billion a year for the next seven years in order to address inadequate pay, as well as to hire more mental health specialists and support the academic needs of students.
According to FEA, 77% of school districts pay a starting salary below $50,000.
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
