■ Senate Democrats propose a pay hike for all state teachers and school workers.

All of Florida’s public school teachers, as well as other school employees, would get 7.5% raises under a new proposal by Democrats in the Florida Senate.

The Democrats’ bill (SB 1854), filed Monday, seeks to go beyond Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan to boost the minimum teaching salary to $47,500.

“The governor’s call to increase the starting pay of teachers in Florida is long overdue,” said Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, in a statement. “But his proposal not only ignores our veteran teachers, but the many individuals who play a critical role in educating Florida’s students. Our legislation corrects his mistakes.”

Gibson, the Senate’s Democratic leader, helped craft the legislation that would provide 4.5% raises and 3% cost-of-living adjustments to teachers and other school employees, such as guidance counselors, librarians and bus drivers.

The governor’s proposal would hike pay for nearly 60% of the state’s teaching force. He has also proposed a bonus program that all teachers could be eligible for, if their schools showed gains under Florida’s A-to-F grading formula.

DeSantis, a Republican who took office a year ago, has called 2020 “the year of the teacher” and said that boosting minimum pay would help attract new teachers and keep talented instructors in the classrooms.

His proposal is embedded in a bill (SB 1400) filed last week by Sen. Manny Diaz, R-Miami, chair of the Senate’s education committee.

In the Republican-controlled Legislature, that bill is likely to be the one that gets the most attention, though there is not yet a companion in the House, where leaders have raised questions about the cost.

Senate Democrats said their proposal would cost $900 million, the same as the combined price tag of DeSantis’ plan to spend $600 million on salary increases and $300 million on bonuses. Their plan would start in the coming school year and run through 2028-29.

Teachers across Florida have been demanding better pay in the recent years, and thousands marched in Tallahassee on Monday, urging state leaders to support higher funding and salaries.

Many teachers dislike the bonus plans that Republican leaders, including DeSantis, have supported in the past.

They say bonuses are one-time payments that provide no longterm financial security and do not help teachers looking to buy homes or cars.

Florida’s average teacher salary of $48,168 in 2018 ranked it 46th in the nation, according to the National Education Association.

Many teachers, and the state’s teachers unions, have said they appreciated DeSantis push for higher pay for teachers still early in their careers — but they also said more experienced instructions need raises, too, as do other school-based employees.

“This bill makes it fair for everyone and stays within Governor DeSantis’ proposed budget,” said Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, in a statement.