There’s a move afoot to better compensate high school teachers in Florida who also serve as coaches.

I think it’s a solid idea. Right now, most coaches get stipends worth somewhere between $1,000 and $5,000 for what’s often hundreds of extra hours of work. It can end up being pennies on the dollar for what they’re worth, way less than minimum wage.

But this legislative push needs two major improvements:

1) Lawmakers should also appropriate the money to pay for the raises they believe are needed. They shouldn’t just pass the buck to local school districts or booster clubs.

2) The increased stipends shouldn’t just go to coaches. They should go to all teachers who essentially work second jobs. To choral, theater and band directors whose “seasons” last the entire school year and who often put in even more extra hours than many coaches. And also to teachers who lead future farmer clubs, yearbook staffs and student newspapers.

People like Justin and Gail Chase.

The married couple has been teaching for 28 years. He’s the music director, and she’s the theater director at Lake Nona High School.

There is no four-month “season” for the arts. It starts the second week of school and runs through graduation, which can mean 15 hours extra of work a week every week for nine months.

One year, Justin tried counting up all the extra hours he put in, but stopped counting in December. It was just too much to tally. Also, he loves what he does.

That’s one of the things cheapskate lawmakers in Tallahassee count on — educators caring way more about public education than the politicians in a state that often ranks 50th for teacher pay.

“That’s kind of how they trick teachers, because we love it,” Justin said. “Education is built off the good will and free labor of teachers.”

Gail agreed, saying: “We love teaching. But if I left at the end of the school day … and did no after-school stuff, I would be depriving myself of the greatest joy of my job.”

That is noble of them — and all the teachers who put in extra hours, whether it’s on the sidelines of football fields or helping students prepare for a future in agriculture. But a well-rounded education system shouldn’t rely on free or sub-minimum-wage labor.

And make no mistake, after-school activities can be as crucial as in-classroom studies when it comes to nurturing productive members of society.

For some students, the arts or sports are the No. 1 reason they’re excited to go to school. These endeavors teach teamwork, responsibility and the ability to accept constructive criticism — something many adults struggle to do.

“We teach collaboration, adapting to change, setting goals, overcoming problems, taking notes and learning how to accept notes,” Gail said.

Justin agreed, saying: “The kids who aren’t interacting with other human beings are missing out.”

Similar thoughts came from Clinton McCracken, the president of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association, which represents teachers who also coach and lead other student activities. “These programs do far more than fill the calendar. They are the heart of our schools,” he said. “They shape young lives, help build lasting relationships, and create a shared sense of identity and pride in our community.”

Most teachers know this — and make sacrifices to make it happen.

For the Chases, it sometimes meant relying on friends to pick up their own children from their respective schools when their kids were younger and bringing them to Lake Nona to catch the tail ends of their parents’ rehearsals.

“They say it takes a village,” Gail said. “Well, our village was filled with wonderful people who were willing to help us.”

Again, that is generous of their friends — and yet a pathetic reflection on society’s priorities if we’re relying on such goodwill to allow teachers to give students the instruction they need.

Several bills championed by the Florida Coaches Coalition have surfaced in recent years aimed at ensuring coaches earn at least minimum wage for the hours they work. Basically, the idea was to pay them as much as other workers get for serving Big Macs. But past efforts have failed.

So new legislation has been filed for the upcoming 2026 session, this time championed by Republican State Sen. Corey Simon, a former NFL player who got his start at Florida State University.

Simon’s Senate Bill 538 deals only with “athletic coach compensation.” It shouldn’t single out coaches. There has also been talk about relying on private boosters at each school to raise the money for the extra coaches’ pay. That’s a recipe for trouble, inviting the kind of conflicts of interests we see in pro and college sports. It’s also wildly inequitable, allowing schools in wealthy ZIP codes to buy the best coaches.

Besides, how many different ways do we have to say this: Just pay teachers what they’re worth. Treat them like professionals. This state wouldn’t face such a shortage of teachers if it didn’t insist on treating them like doormats.

This state should boost base teacher pay and pay fair wages for the additional responsibilities they take on. That’s not a radical concept.

As McCracken said: “These educators give their all because they care, and they should be compensated adequately.”

The Chases have more teaching years behind them than ahead. So any potential change is unlikely to benefit them much. But they still support the measure. Because one day, this state might not have so many teachers willing to be underpaid, disrespected and work extra hours for peanuts.

For now, though, the Chases will keep on doing what they’ve done for nearly three decades — working extra hours for little extra pay — just because, as Justin said, “We love the kids.”

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/28/pay-florida-high-school-coaches-more/