Putting Public Schools First
What is Suzanna Pavelle’s position on public education? Suzanna believes strong neighborhood public schools are essential to a strong future for District 19. She supports competitive teacher pay, stable classrooms, and real accountability for every taxpayer dollar spent on education.
Public schools are the backbone of strong communities. Families deserve neighborhood schools that are well supported, teachers who are respected and fairly paid, and classrooms focused on helping every child succeed.
Suzanna will fight to:
- Fund neighborhood public schools
- Support competitive teacher pay and strong learning environments
- Require accountability for every school receiving taxpayer dollars
Why this issue matters
Florida is near the bottom nationally on teacher pay, and that hurts students as well as educators. When schools struggle to recruit and retain strong teachers, families feel the consequences and communities lose one of their most important foundations.
Families in District 19 also need to know that public education dollars are being used responsibly. When state policy weakens neighborhood schools while demanding more from them, local communities feel the pressure first.
This is not just a school issue. It is a workforce issue, a family-stability issue, and a long-term economic issue.
What this looks like in District 19
- Florida ranks 50th nationally in average teacher salary at $56,663, versus a national average of $74,495.
- Florida spends $13,487 per student in current expenditures, below the national average of $17,840.
- St. Johns County Schools says it faced an $8 million shortfall in 2025-26 and projects another $15 million-plus shortfall in 2026-27, which the district attributes to reduced revenue from state vouchers and underfunded state mandates.
- An analysis published by Florida Politics using Florida Department of Education data found a 93.8% four-year graduation rate at traditional district public high schools, compared with 78.4% at charter high schools.
- Flagler Schools earned an “A” district grade from the Florida Department of Education for 2025–26, with every traditional elementary, middle and high school earning an A or B. Flagler also ranked in the state’s top 25 districts overall.
What Suzanna Will Fight For
1. Fund neighborhood public schools first
Public schools are the backbone of our communities. Suzanna will fight to make sure neighborhood public schools get the support they need to serve every student well.
2. Support competitive teacher pay and strong classrooms
Florida should be attracting and keeping great educators. That means better pay, reasonable class sizes, and the resources teachers and students need to succeed.
3. Require accountability for every taxpayer dollar
If a school receives taxpayer dollars, families deserve transparency, verified enrollment, and meaningful public accountability.
4. Support safe and stable learning environments
Real school safety includes counselors, mental health support, nurses, and stable learning environments where students can focus on learning.
5. Give parents, educators, and local communities a stronger voice
Education decisions should be driven by what helps students learn, not by political theater or one-size-fits-all state mandates.
Suzanna’s Commitments
- Fund neighborhood public schools first
- Support competitive teacher pay and strong learning environments
- Require accountability for every school receiving taxpayer dollars
- Support counselors, mental health resources, and real school safety
- Put students and families ahead of political theater
Stronger Schools, Stronger Futures
When public schools are strong, families are stronger, communities are more stable, and our economy is better prepared for the future.
Suzanna is running to fight for public schools that serve every child well and help make District 19 a place where families can build a future with confidence.
