Teacher pay, school safety at stake as South Florida voters weigh property tax referendums

Teacher salaries and school safety funding are on the ballot in Miami-Dade and Broward counties this election, as voters decide whether to renew property taxes that help school districts retain educators and maintain security measures.

The referendums come as South Florida school districts grapple with declining enrollment, rising living costs and concerns about their ability to attract and retain teachers.

In an interview with CBS News Miami, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Rafael Villalobos warned that failure to renew the district's existing property tax could significantly affect teacher compensation and educational programs.

"So the average base salary of a teacher right now is $57,800. If they do not approve this referendum, that is what the average teacher is going to be earning versus the $70,000," Villalobos said.

The referendum would renew an existing property tax that costs homeowners $1 annually for every $1,000 of their property's taxable value. The tax, which voters previously approved in 2018 and 2022, helps fund teacher salaries, school police and other safety measures.

Declining enrollment poses major challenge for Miami-Dade schools

Just two months into his new role, Villalobos said declining student enrollment is among the most pressing challenges facing Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

"You know, the biggest concern right now is declining enrollment," Villalobos said.

He attributed the decline to several factors, including falling birth rates, fewer immigrant students entering the district and families leaving Miami-Dade because of the high cost of living.

"We have families that can't afford to live in Miami. It's just so expensive to live here," Villalobos said.

The superintendent referenced a Miami Herald report indicating that more than 70,000 families had left Miami-Dade County because of affordability concerns.

Villalobos said the district is also seeing fewer immigrant students arriving in the county, a population that historically contributed to enrollment.

The combination of these factors has created challenges for a district that has maintained an A rating for seven consecutive years, according to the superintendent.

Teacher salaries and school safety funding on the ballot

The affordability crisis affecting South Florida families is also making it increasingly difficult for teachers to live in the communities where they work.

Villalobos warned that without the salary supplements supported by the referendum, the district could lose experienced educators to states with lower living costs.

"Imagine that teachers that cannot afford to live here decide, well, I can't live here, so I'm going to move out. I'm going to move to Georgia. I'm going to move to Carolina. I'm going to move to Texas," he said.

He expressed concern that some of the district's highest-performing teachers could be among those who leave.

Villalobos also highlighted the district's academic achievements, including a graduation rate he cited at 95%.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not happy with 95%. I'll be happy when we're at 100% because every student deserves to graduate," he said.

In addition to teacher compensation, Villalobos said the referendum helps fund school police and safety measures.

Voters in Broward County are also considering a referendum aimed at maintaining teacher salary supplements.

The local school funding measures are separate from Florida's proposed Amendment 3, a property tax measure that is not intended to affect school funding.

Early voting in Miami-Dade and Broward counties continues through Sunday, Nov. 1, ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3.