Special to The Laker/Lutz News

(The Center Square) – The Sunshine State may soon reach crisis levels as a teacher shortage looms.

Florida TaxWatch has released a new report showing that Florida’s teacher salaries rank 50th in the nation and school districts are struggling to fill vacancies.

“The well-being of Florida’s K-12 education system should be a concern for all taxpayers. Comprising 43.9% of general revenue spending for Florida’s FY 2023-2024 state budget, education is one of the biggest consumers of taxpayer dollars,” the report says.

According to the report, teacher vacancies declined 13% in four years during the 2023-2024 school year. However, the available vacancies were still more than double those during the 2016-2017 school year.

The Florida Department of Education says in the report that many teachers needing to be certified in the appropriate fields are being hired to fill teaching positions. It also notes that postsecondary institutions need to produce more graduates to meet K-12 needs.

Around 15% of courses offered in F-ranked and D-ranked schools are taught by out-of-field teachers, compared to only 6.4% of courses in A-ranked schools.

The report notes the subject area with the most out-of-field teachers is English for speakers of other languages, often these teachers are instructing lessons in different subject areas. Science-Earth and Space and Science have the most significant demand, equating to two courses per certified teacher.

Florida TaxWatch notes several reasons for the growing shortage, the first being a decline in popularity with 270,000 teachers projected to leave the profession every year. Half of those go on to change careers altogether.

There are also fewer people entering the profession from college, as teacher salaries in Florida continue to lag around $53,000 per year.

Compared to other states, Florida’s cost of living adds further barriers to teacher recruitment despite having no state income tax. Teachers’ take-home pay in states like Pennsylvania, New York and Illinois averages between $500 and $1,000 more for every bi-monthly check after state and federal taxes than Florida’s.

The report notes that Florida lawmakers are trying to elevate these burdens and have launched various programs since 2020. These include the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, which helps with a down payment and closing costs and increases to teacher salaries in the state budget.

 

Published August 28, 2024.

(Family Features) – Resisting the weeknight urge to call for takeout or order delivery starts with an approachable at-home menu with recipes you can prep in an instant. Especially during back-to-school season when schedules are jam-packed with activities, easy meals and desserts you can rely on allow you and your loved ones to ease tension in the kitchen.

Simplicity is the key to putting dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less, and Taco Salad and Taco Mac and Cheese recipes offer mealtime solutions that make cooking duty a breeze. Make all that classroom effort worth it with a kid-friendly dessert you can prepare over the weekend and keep refrigerated for weeknight treats with No Bake Dragon Fruit Cheesecake Bars.

Make dinner happen in 30 minutes

If you’re looking for a go-to meal for your hungry family, search no more. This Taco Salad calls only for pantry staples, so you can spice up busy evenings in just half an hour.

Visit Culinary.net to find more recipes.

Taco Salad

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”

Total time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6

1 pound ground beef
1 can (15 ounces) black beans
1 can (15 ounces) corn
2 cans (14 ounces each) diced tomatoes with chilies
1/2 cup half-and-half or milk
2 Tablespoons onion powder
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
2 Tablespoons mesquite seasoning
1 Tablespoon black pepper
Salt, to taste
1 lime, juice only
1 cup chopped cilantro
Romaine lettuce
2-3 cups shredded cheese
1 tub (16 ounces) sour cream
Crushed tortilla chips

In a pan over medium heat, brown beef until cooked through; drain. Add black beans and corn. Stir in tomatoes with juices and half-and-half. Add onion powder, garlic powder, mesquite seasoning and pepper. Season with salt, to taste. Bring to a simmer.

Add lime juice; stir. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Wash and chop lettuce. Place cheese and sour cream in bowls for toppings.

On plates, top crushed tortilla chips with meat sauce, lettuce, cheese and sour cream, as desired.

A sweet treat to make school days special

Sometimes a long day in the classroom and tough homework assignments call for a cool treat. Rewarding all that studying can be a cinch with a no bake cheesecake bar that lasts throughout the week.

No Bake Dragon Fruit Cheesecake Bars allow you to keep things cool in the kitchen without cranking up the oven. Plus, they’re made with C&H sugars that are perfect for adding a little something special to school days.

Find more back-to-school desserts at CHsugar.com.

No Bake Dragon Fruit Cheesecake Bars

Prep time: 35 minutes

Rest time: 6 hours

Yield: 16 bars 

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 Tablespoons C&H light brown sugar
1 pinch salt 

Bars:

1 small fresh dragon fruit, peeled and cubed small
1/4 cup C&H granulated sugar
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups C&H powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup plain Greek yogurt, full fat, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold

To make crust: Line 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Leave a 2-inch overhang of paper on both sides. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, brown sugar and salt until well combined. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Place in the freezer.

To make bars: In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook dragon fruit and granulated sugar until sugar is completely dissolved, dragon fruit is soft and mixture reduces in size, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool completely. 

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add powdered sugar and mix until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl. Add vanilla and yogurt. Beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold cream into cream cheese mixture. Pour half of the mixture into the prepared crust. Add 5 Tablespoons of dragon fruit mixture to the remaining cream cheese batter. Mix until well combined. Pour over plain cream cheese mixture. Place in the refrigerator to set at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Cut into 16 bars.

Spice up weeknights

Macaroni and cheese is a beloved comfort food that’s easy to make on busy weeknights. With just a few extra ingredients and steps, you can turn boxed mac and cheese into a filling dinner.

To make Taco Mac and Cheese, simply prepare your favorite boxed mac and cheese according to the package instructions, and stir fry the meat and vegetables together. (Hint: You can even chop vegetables the night before to make cooking the next day even easier.) Then add taco seasoning and combine for a new take on a classic dish.

Visit Culinary.net to find more recipes.

Taco Mac and Cheese

1 box macaroni and cheese
1/4 cup milk
4 Tablespoons butter
1 pound ground turkey
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons taco seasoning

Prepare boxed mac and cheese with milk and butter according to package instructions.

In a skillet, brown ground turkey over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion. Add taco seasoning.

Stir turkey mixture with mac and cheese to combine.

 

Published August 28, 2024.