MDEC Platform

There are multiple Florida counties with higher average teacher salaries than ours, yet Miami-Dade County is the most expensive urban area in Florida!¹ We are one of the largest school districts in the country, but our average salary is lower than the others.  According to Salary.com the average salary in Miami-Dade county is $56k. In New York city, a starting teacher’s pay is above $70.² In Los Angles the average salary is over $100K!³

The portion of health insurance premiums public school teachers contribute has risen to 38%. With a workforce the size that we are, we should have much better health insurance.  In years past, the raises that UTD negotiated were immediately wiped out by rising healthcare costs, we can do better.⁴

The typical teacher works 54 hours per week, 25 hours of which is spent teaching students.  Too much time is spent on peripheral work and we get nothing for it.⁵

We are often pulled from our planning time to do peripheral work.  Minimize disruptions, eliminate needless requirements, and trust teachers to use their time well.⁶

Not from district personnel, technical difficulties, student misbehavior, or parents.⁷

Teacher Evaluations cannot be based on student test achievement alone. Student attendance and behavior should be a factor, as well as technical difficulties.⁸

Parents must be held accountable by the district for their child’s behavior.⁹

The district must address mold, roof leaks, freezing A/C temperatures, Chronic A/C failures, and pest control issues as soon as they occur.¹⁰

Substitutes need higher pay, and when teachers are asked to cover classes, they should be compensated for it.¹¹

The district is way too top heavy with personnel that bother and belittle teachers during instructional time with their unrealistic and out-of-touch expectations.  Shrinking the district bureaucracy would not only save teachers and support staff the headache, but help boost salaries as well.¹²

Place annual contract teachers into continuing contract status and eliminate the annual contract policy.

Increase coach’s salaries to nationwide market values.

Additional raises or supplements for mandatory certifications, STEAM requirements and testing duties.

Time and half pay for staff meetings, parent teacher conferences, required tech platform trainings and field trips that end after regular working hours.

Ensure required tech platforms are consistently operational. If they aren’t, immediately cancel the contract.