The Clay County superintendent will not force pre-k teachers to repay tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses.
Action News Jax first reported on Sunday that a state auditor found Clay County gave 22 pre-K teachers Florida Best and Brightest Scholarships they didn't qualify for.
Now Superintendent Addison Davis tells Action News Jax the school district is appealing to the state.
The state auditor recommends the district take the $31,200 back from the pre-K teachers and repay it to the state.
“I think teachers work very hard and deserve everything they get paid, and more,” said Clay County grandmother Judi Rogers.
The #ClayCounty superintendent will NOT force Pre-K teachers to re-pay $31,000+ in bonuses. A state auditor says those teachers didn't qualify for them in the first place. The appeal the superintendent is now making to the state, all new at 6 on @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/r6pnO858LK
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) February 11, 2019
The state auditor said pre-K teachers don’t qualify for the bonuses because they don’t meet the definition of “classroom teachers.”
Clay County Education Association President Renna Lee Paiva said that’s not true for Clay County pre-K teachers.
"Our pre-K teachers are part of our elementary schools. They not only teach pre-K, they can teach kindergarten. They can teach 1st grade. They're classroom teachers," said Paiva.
Davis is appealing to the Florida Department of Education, asking it not to require the district to return the money.
“I am working with state legislators to amend the K-12 Best and Brightest Scholarship program to be inclusive of certified pre-kindergarten teachers,” said Davis.
A district spokesperson said even if the district loses its appeal to the state, the district won’t make the teachers pay the money back; it will refund the state from somewhere else in the district’s budget.
Cox Media Group
