Independent oversight committee reports $68.7 million for teacher pay in 2024–25 referendum year
Loading...
Summary
ICROC presented its annual report: approximately $68.7 million was allocated for teacher retention and recruitment in 2024–25, about $17.6 million supported arts/reading/technology/charter schools, and ICROC reaffirmed quarterly oversight of referendum spending.
At the March 31 meeting the school district’s Independent Citizens Referendum Oversight Committee (ICROC) presented its 2024–25 annual report to the Pinellas County School Board. Chief Academic Officer Danica Jones introduced the committee and ICROC chair Reagan Miller summarized how referendum funds were used.
Miller said referendum funds allowed Pinellas County Schools to allocate approximately $68,700,000 in 2024–25 toward retaining and recruiting teachers and about $17,600,000 to support arts, reading, technology and charter schools. She told the board that the referendum provided an annual supplement of $6,967 to each teacher and that the district shared roughly $5,400,000 with charter schools, proportionate to charter enrollment, as required by the ballot language.
Miller described ICROC’s role as quarterly oversight to ensure referendum funds are spent according to board priorities and voter intent and said committee members reviewed expenditures and school visits during the year to verify stewardship. Chief Academic Officer Danica Jones reviewed ICROC’s membership, noting representatives from community groups including the Pinellas County Council of PTAs, League of Women Voters, Pinellas Education Foundation and other civic partners.
Board members thanked ICROC for oversight and advocacy. No formal vote was required on the report; the presentation was informational.
