Five Gulf teachers have qualified for pay bonuses of approximately $8,000 under the state’s Best and Brightest program.
The teachers are Raul Gonzalez, Dustra Haynes, Heather Legrand, Jeff Miller, and Joann Reynolds.
The program, intended by the legislature to attract better college students into the teaching profession, makes the bonuses available to teachers who were evaluated as “highly effective” and who scored in the 80th percentile or higher (top 20%) of students taking either the SAT or ACT when they were in high school.
Pasco County teachers will receive their bonuses on Friday.
The program is somewhat controversial among teachers, and it is not clear whether the legislature will renew it for next year.
