Have Questions? Join us every Wednesday!
Every Wednesday at 5:00 we hold TEAMs meetings where you can ask questions about working in our district, the Teacher Fellowship initiatives, and much more.
Sign up for more information and/or updates from the Florida Keys Black Educator Initiative.
Once you sign up and provide your email, you will be invited to a TEAMs call to learn more information about our initiatives.
No application or long drawn out process. Just apply for the position you want, once you are hired you will submit your signed binder and a copy of your lease to us. On the first day of reporting you will get paid. It’s that simple.
“The Black Educator Initiative is designed to bridge the gap of inequity and inequality so often seen in education today. It is a powerful program to provide an opportunity for diverse students to learn from a diverse group of teachers. Because the intent is so radically genuine, the Golden Fleece foundation makes the process easy for potential Black Educators.
It really is as simple as 1,2,3.”
- Anita Linville, 2022 Teacher Fellowship recipient.
Read her full testimonial here.
$30,000
Purpose: To attract Black new-to-county teachers.
Grant awards:
$15,000 for year one
$10,000 for year two
$5,000 for year three.
Candidates must have accepted a teaching position in a Monroe County school.
$10,000
Purpose: To attract local Black professionals to teach.
Grand Awards:
$5000 at the beginning of the school year
$5000 at the end of the school year
Candidates must have accepted a teaching position in a Monroe County school.
2023 Recipients
Press
The Golden Fleece Foundation has launched a new initiative supporting new and prospective Black resident educators who plan to study or teach in Monroe County, Florida. The purpose is to increase the number of Black educators in Monroe County, Florida, attempting to achieve educator demographic equality, matching student demographics. According to National Center for Teacher Residencies “Black students who have just one Black teacher in elementary school are more likely to graduate from high school and consider going to college, yet just 7 percent of public school teachers are Black.”
“For years, the Monroe County School District has offered the highest starting teacher salaries in the state of Florida. Teachers start at [$61,500], which is more than 35% higher than the national average” according to a Keysweekly article. The salary range for teachers is [$61,500 - $97,700]. “The Monroe County School District realizes the importance of a viable compensation package, and ours is among the highest in the state,” said Superintendent Theresa Axford. “Teachers are paid 24 paychecks a year and most teachers work 10 months. There’s a week off at Thanksgiving, two weeks of winter break, a week for spring break, and two months free in the summer. For a full-time employee and their full-time spouse working at Monroe County School District, family health coverage is free.”
Axford added that the Monroe County School District is an A-rated district.
“The schools of Monroe County are high performing at 15 in the state of Florida,” Axford said. “Our district is at the head of the curve when it comes to the academic support provided to our teaching staff. We’re excited about hiring new teachers to fill open positions and to help them through training and support become a part of our school district family.”
“Extensive research has revealed that Black students who have some exposure to Black educators during their primary and secondary school years have better educational outcomes.”
— Dr. Darryl Robinson, Pastor
Why Black Educators?
The school district has a board policy to achieve high school graduation rates of non-white students at the same level as white students. The gap has narrowed significantly over the last decade, but there is more work needed to finish the job.