MY PROMISE TO FLORIDIANS
PILLAR II — Children, Teachers & Trades First
Preparing Florida for the AI Future
Strong teachers build strong families.
Strong families build a strong Florida.
Frank believes something fundamental:
Self-esteem is more important than IQ.
A child who believes in themselves will outperform a child who merely memorizes information. Education must build confidence, character, and capability — not just test scores.
As the Whitney Houston song says, “I believe the children are our future.”
If that is true, then we must treat them and their teachers like they are.
Correcting the structure of Florida’s insurance market
The Florida Teacher Pay Plan
Simple Math. No New Taxes.
The Structural Plan
- On Day One, Frank J. Russo will move immediately to raise teacher salaries by 50%, bringing the statewide average to approximately $82,500 — a $27,500 annual increase that reflects the value teachers bring to Florida’s future.
Florida public school teachers deserve to be respected and competitively compensated. Currently our public school teachers are ranked last in the states. This pay increase is necessary to put them in the top 25%. Frank’s plan includes a significant teacher pay increase funded through state reserves as a bridge — not new taxes — while cutting administrative waste and redirecting money into classrooms.
We cut bureaucracy before we ever cut teachers.
The goal: motivate not intimidate our teachers and children.
Russo Plan: Teachers and Children First
When teachers are respected and properly paid, they walk into classrooms with a smile and children feel that energy.
• A supported teacher has the patience to encourage, to notice the quiet child in the back, to guide with care and that can change a child’s life.
• When teachers are secure at home, children feel secure at school.
• We will use AI to reduce paperwork and bureaucracy not to replace the human connection between teacher and student.
• I want teachers focused on inspiring children, not fighting broken systems.
• When teachers feel valued, children feel important. When a child believes they matter, they rise.
• Education must build confidence and self-worth because self-esteem is more important than IQ.
