USEP President Jeff Larsen Spoke to the Pasco County Legislative Delegation about Public Education

Good morning,

My name is Jeff Larsen. I am a longtime teacher from Gulf Middle School. I am also very proud to serve as the President of the United School Employees of Pasco. We are proud to be the bargaining agent that represents 5,400 teachers and 3,900 School Related Personnel.

Here in Pasco County, our great public schools are the heartbeat of the community. My goal, and that of my colleagues, is to know that our students are well-prepared for their future – whether at the next grade level, an institution of higher learning, vocational trades, or the workforce. I know that when we work together to meet this goal, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

The legislature has made strides in addressing some issues facing educators, including addressing starting teacher salary and assessing the excess rules and regulations in education. But we can all agree that we still have work to do in Florida – teacher shortages persist, our teachers remain ranked #50 in the nation in average pay, and many of our teachers and education staff professionals are forced to work multiple jobs to simply provide for their families.

We know that our working environments are our students’ learning environments. So, as you consider education policy during this session, we have suggestions to help address the issues faced on our campuses and classrooms.

1. Expand the financial investments in our public schools and allocate sufficient funds to compensate all school employees fairly. Investing $1,000 more per student each year in the FEFP will ensure students have access to a world-class public education. And move Florida’s average teacher salary ranking from the bottom into the top 10.
2. Identify ways to keep current teachers in the classrooms. This includes permitting school districts to offer extended contracts for proven, experienced teachers, allowing for local control over salary schedules, and addressing salary compression.
3. Ensure educators can retire with dignity. Florida currently has one of the best pension systems in the county. The Florida Retirement System should remain solvent without burdening educators and other state employees with additional costs. Our pension system is pertinent in recruiting and retaining qualified educators. The legislature should restore the previous Cost of Living Adjustments for current and future retirees.

We look forward to working with you to ensure our students have the world-class public education they deserve. Thank you for your time and for all that you do for the community.