Gov. DeSantis: Principal, Teacher Bonuses Coming Next Month

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TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – Gov. Ron DeSantis said that helium expects $1,000 bonuses promised to teachers and principals utilizing national coronavirus alleviation funds to beryllium delivered successful August.

The governor’s comments connected Tuesday came contempt the U.S. Department of Education questioning whether the program is astatine likelihood with national guidelines.

DeSantis began touting the program to usage $216 cardinal successful national stimulus wealth for pedagogue bonuses successful March, saying the $1,000 checks would service arsenic “a token of the appreciation” for schoolhouse employees who worked amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But successful a missive to authorities Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran sent June 30, U.S. Department of Education Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs Ian Rosenblum questioned whether Florida’s program would beryllium allowable nether national guidelines for the usage of what are known arsenic “ESSER” funds.

Rosenblum wrote that “premium wage is an allowable usage of ESSER funds arsenic agelong arsenic it is ‘reasonable and indispensable and consistent’” with guidelines for spending nether the American Rescue Plan Act, a stimulus program signed by President Joe Biden successful March. However, Rosenblum added that Florida’s program would struggle with a specified cookware of wealth nether the American Rescue Plan that indispensable beryllium utilized “to code ‘learning loss’ done evidence-based interventions and to supply evidence-based summertime enrichment and afterschool programs.”

According to the national acquisition agency, the cookware of wealth that states tin usage to supply bonuses is astatine issue.

“The Department is not informing states that they cannot usage ARP (American Rescue Plan) funds for premium pay. States tin usage funds classified arsenic ‘optional’ nether the State Reserve for that purpose. But funds classified arsenic ‘required’ indispensable beryllium utilized to code learning loss. That’s a precise important distinction,” a spokesperson for the section said successful an email to The News Service of Florida.

At a media lawsuit successful Orlando Tuesday, the politician said that teachers and principals are inactive connected way to beryllium “mailed a check” successful August.

“I deliberation we’re bully to go. We’re utilizing the national backing from … 1 of the ESSER pots. It perfectly tin beryllium utilized for bonuses,” DeSantis told reporters.

The politician went connected to accidental helium isn’t yet definite whether the bonuses would beryllium taxed.

“I deliberation the question that we person is, was the (Biden) medication going to taxation the bonuses, and I deliberation they might. Obviously, we don’t judge it should beryllium taxable.”

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