Florida teacher referendum supplements, explained
In some Florida counties, part of every teacher's paycheck comes from a property tax that local voters approved specifically for schools. Among the districts we track, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas and St. Lucie pay one. It can be worth thousands of dollars a year, and it's the part of teacher pay most likely to change at the ballot box.
How it works
Florida lets a school district ask voters for an additional property tax for operating costs, on top of the state-required tax, for a maximum of four years at a time (s. 1011.71(9), Florida Statutes). Districts that win these votes typically promise to spend most of the money on teacher and staff pay, and pay it as a supplement on top of the regular salary schedule.
Because the tax has to be renewed, the supplement isn't guaranteed beyond the current term. And because it comes from local property values, the amount can change from year to year as tax collections change.
What each district pays
Miami-Dade County
Referendum Retirement Accruing Supplement (RRAS): a voter-approved supplement paid as a percentage of base salary (6% to 39.06%, depending on salary level). It counts toward Florida Retirement System pay. Our figures for this district include it.
Palm Beach County
Voter-approved referendum supplement for FY2026. New hires get $0 (no experience), $1,000 (1-4 years), $5,000 (5-9 years) or $10,000 (10+ years). Our figures for this district include it.
Pasco County
Salary referendum supplement, new rate effective November 1, 2025. For new hires it ranges from $3,000 (0 years) to $8,950 (25 years). Our figures for this district include it.
Pinellas County
Voter-approved referendum supplement, 7/1/2026-6/30/2027, re-certified yearly from tax collections. Our figures for this district include it.
St. Lucie County
Voter-approved referendum supplement for teachers, paid on top of the salary schedule: $3,000 for beginning teachers, $3,454 with 1-5 years of eligible experience, $6,454 with 6-9, $9,254 with 10-14 and $11,854 with 15 or more. It counts toward FRS retirement. It is paid on top of the salary schedule, so our figures for this district do not include it.
Three ways to pay it
The districts above show how differently the same idea can be structured:
- Flat amount: every teacher gets the same supplement (Pinellas).
- By experience: new hires get more as their years of experience go up (Palm Beach, Pasco, St. Lucie).
- Percentage of salary: the supplement grows with base pay (Miami-Dade, where it also counts toward retirement pay).
When you compare districts, check whether a salary figure includes the referendum supplement. Ours do wherever the district builds it into its schedule, so the numbers on this site are what a teacher is actually paid.
Common questions
What is a teacher referendum supplement in Florida?
Extra teacher pay funded by a local property tax that county voters approve for school operations. Districts use some or all of that money to raise teacher salaries.
Which Florida counties pay teachers a referendum supplement?
Among the districts we track: Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas and St. Lucie. We found none in the latest documents for Broward, Clay, Collier, Duval, Escambia, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Leon, Marion, Orange, Osceola and Sarasota.
Can a referendum supplement go away?
Yes. Florida law allows this kind of voted school operating tax for at most four years at a time (s. 1011.71(9), Florida Statutes), so voters have to renew it. If they don't, the district loses the money that pays the supplement.