In November 2024, residents in St. John’s County, Florida, overwhelmingly backed a property tax hike reserved for boosting teacher salaries, increasing school safety, and expanding student programs.
The county’s teachers' union estimated that it would generate $23.7 million specifically for better teacher pay.
“It is huge for St. Johns County and we are thrilled and we are grateful,” Kate Dowdie, president of the St. Johns Education Association, told Action News Jax.
The newly padded paychecks range based on teacher experience, from teachers with less than five years of experience receiving a $4,500 boost, to teachers with more than 21 years under their belt getting up to $8,888. Checks will be distributed over the course of 10 to 12 months, during the 2025-2026 school year.
For teachers in the county, that new bonus amounts to 10% of their annual salary — a number that can make a world of difference.
“It’s a difference between them staying and taking a job elsewhere,” said Charlena Retkowski, president of the St. Johns Educational Support Professional Association. “We’re hoping that will retain and bring in more people.”
The measure, which passed with the support of 68% of voters, is a “big relief” to people like Dowdie.
“This has been a critical need for us,” said Dowdie, who teaches elementary school students when she’s not leading the union. “With such a low pay, having teachers say ‘Okay, I can come back and serve my community — that’s huge.”
A version of this article originally appeared in the 2025 Education Edition of the Goodnewspaper.
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