Florida Legislature has funded the Best and Brightest Teacher Program for the 2019-2020 school year.  The Florida Legislature has created four new categories for the 2019-2020 program. The Legislative intent of the revised program is to enable districts to recruit, retain, and recognize instructional personnel who meet the needs of the state/district and have achieved success in the classroom.  The statute also recognizes school principals whose schools make noticeable academic improvement as Florida’s Best and Brightest principals. 

For the 2019-2020 school year, section 1012.731, F.S., continues to require that each district school board determine the eligibility of classroom teachers, as defined in F.S. 1012.01(2)(a) who qualify for the Recruitment or Retention teacher award. District school boards should also determine instructional personnel, as defined in F.S. 1012.01(2)(a-e), who qualify for the Recognition award.  The attached documents detail the Board’s implementation of the program.

According to State Statute, F.S. 1012.731, the Best and Brightest Teacher Program shall provide categorical funding for awards to instructional personnel and principals who have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement and evaluation scores or were recruited for a designated high needs area and who meet statutory requirements.

Application and detailed information will be sent to all Clay County instructional personnel upon completion of the November 7, 2019 board meeting.  Awards will be paid to eligible candidates by April 01, 2020.

Attached is a detailed analysis of the 2019-2020 Best and Brightest Teacher Program and requirements for eligibility. 

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Clay County paid $4,230,043.00 to classroom teachers as defined by F.S. 1012.01(2)(a) who qualified for the 2018-2019 Best and Brightest Scholarship program.

Recruitment awards will be up to $4000.00, Retention awards will be up to $2500.00 for highly effective evaluations and up to $1000.00 for effective evaluations.  Principal awards will be up to $5000.00. Recognition award funds will be determined after full payout of all Recruitment, Retention, and Principal funds have been paid.  If state appropriated funding is inadequate to pay Recruitment, Retention, and Principal awards, then these awards may be pro-rated. If this occurs, Recognition awards will not be paid.  All categories are subject to statutory requirements. 

Goal 5:  Develop and support great educators, support staff and leaders

Human Resources recommends the Board approves the attached implementation policy and definitions for the 2019-2020 Best and Brightest Teacher Program.