Florida Bills Aim to Boost Coach Salaries Through Funding Flexibility and Booster Club Donations

Two bills passed their first subcommittee hurdles on Tuesday. Both would allow districts to boost what coaches earn through performance bonuses and booster donations. House Bill 731 and Senate Bill 538 each received unanimous votes during initial reviews.

House Bill 731 gives districts more freedom with money for after-school activities. Booster clubs could tap into donated funds to provide extra compensation. Senate Bill 538 lets school boards decide what coaches get paid, with performance incentives written into the plan.

James Delgado coaches football at Immokalee High School. Over 16 years, his supplement pay has averaged just $4,000 per year. He works with the Florida Coaches Coalition on this matter.

"There've been times I've worried if I can sustain the lifestyle that I have or even justify the amount of time I put in and the time I spend away from my family," Delgado said, per  WINK News.

Jordan Ingman heads the football program at Port Charlotte High School. The money problems stretch past just the coach, he said. "I don't think anyone is completely aware of the pressure of not just the coach but of the family. So the ability to make your family situation better is huge," Ingman said.

Districts across the state are watching. Lee County, Charlotte County, and DeSoto County all have their eyes on both measures. Lee and DeSoto are studying how these changes might work within their systems.

Ingman worries about fairness. "I hope each county takes it serious because it would be a shame to just see wealthy schools benefit from this when you know there's coaches all over the state regardless if they have a good booster club," he said.

For Delgado, this comes down to keeping good coaches around. "This is a conversation that needs to be happening or else we're going to continue to lose quality coaches to other states and other districts that can compensate better," he said.

Gov. Ron DeSantis would need to sign off. If that happens, the new rules go into effect July 1.