FLORIDA — The powerful Senate Education Committee is convening in Tallahassee on Monday afternoon to talk about teachers' salaries.
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However, a recent proposal by Gov. Ron DeSantis is meeting some pushback, including from House Speaker Jose Oliva, who worries about the price tag.
The proposal raises starting salaries by $10,000 to $47,500; it is a $600 million investment, according to the governor's office.
National Education Association (NEA) data shows Florida teachers rank either 26th or 27th in the nation for starting pay.
DeSantis' proposal would take the state to number two in the nation.
Meanwhile, the state teacher union contends teachers who make more than the minimum should get raises as well.
Some teachers said that they were happy to hear about the proposal, but worried about salaries of veteran teachers.
"$47,500 is a great starting salary for someone who is just graduating," said longtime teacher, JoAnna Marino, adding, "If I can't afford to raise a family, and I don't mean a family of five, I'm going to have to look somewhere else."