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Teacher working 4 jobs says she can't afford rent as School District of Palm Beach Co. debates 3.5% pay raise

'I still can't afford to pay rent. My rent is more than what I make on a paycheck,' Alicia Carr tells WPTV

WPTV

Alicia Carr, a third-grade teacher at Jupiter Elementary School, spoke to WPTV reporter Christy Waite about the struggles of living on the current teacher pay in Palm Beach County.

By: Christy Waite

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PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The battle over teacher pay in Palm Beach County will come to a head on Wednesday, May 6.

The School District of Palm Beach County will vote to either approve or deny a 3.5% pay bump for teachers.

WATCH BELOW: Palm Beach Co. teacher working 4 jobs says she can't afford rent

3rd grade teacher in Palm Beach County works 4 jobs, says she still struggles to pay rent

The district said it can't afford the pay increase because of decreased student enrollment. They also told WPTV that if the pay increase is approved, they will have to cut jobs.

WPTV reporter Christy Waite connected with Alicia Carr, a third-grade teacher at Jupiter Elementary School. Carr tells WPTV that she is a single mom who is working four jobs to make ends meet. She is feeling nervous heading into Wednesday's meeting because her current salary as a teacher is causing financial strain.

"I am really nervous because I am thinking, if they don't approve it, what am I going to do? Like, do I leave the profession? Do I go somewhere else? I don't know, because I can't afford to live anymore," Carr said.

Carr has been teaching for 13 years and has a Master's degree. She said that despite her experience, she is unable to pay her bills.

"I am also living in income-based housing here in Jupiter. Even on the workforce housing program, I still can't afford to pay rent. My rent is more than what I make on a paycheck," Carr said.

WPTV has been sorting through thousands of teacher exit surveys from 2022 to April 2026. In those surveys, teachers expressed that they were leaving because of the salary and lack of support from the district.

The district said its starting salary is higher than that of neighboring districts.

Carr said while trying to pay her bills on time, she has racked up credit card debt.

"I am struggling to pay my phone bill at times. My credit cards are getting racked up because I am having to pay bills on my credit cards. This is the most debt I have ever had in my life," Carr said.

The battle over teacher salaries has been going on for years. When the district rejected the 3.5% pay increase, Carr was facing her electricity being cut off and losing her car insurance.

WPTV reached out to the school district about the teacher complaints. They sent WPTV the following statement:

"The School District of Palm Beach County takes exit survey feedback seriously and reviews it carefully. Palm Beach County is an expensive place to live, and the School District understands the financial pressures its educators face.

The School District has regularly increased teacher compensation, including a 10 percent raise package just two years ago. Over the last five years, we provided a cumulative salary increase of 31.3%. For 2025-2026, the District proposed a raise package that is five times what the state funded for teacher raises. With the support of a voter-approved referendum, the School District's average teacher salary is approximately $70,000, about $14,000 above the statewide average and near the national average. The starting salary of $53,600 is among the highest of comparable local school systems.

The School District's instructional vacancy rate is currently 1.1%, the lowest in over a decade. Our 7% voluntary turnover rate is well under the Florida average of 12% and aligns with national trends.

According to the exit surveys WPTV received, we would like to draw your attention to the following question and the responses:

Please rate your reasons for leaving the district. [Competitive salary & benefits elsewhere WITHIN the field of education]
1,226 respondents indicated the following answer: not a major reason for leaving
106 respondents indicated the following answer: minor reason for leaving
157 respondents indicated the following answer: moderate reason for leaving
286 respondents indicated the following answer: major reason for leaving
The School District is committed to paying its educators as competitively as state funding allows, and we regularly advocate for increased funding from the state to support increased teacher pay.

This year, the School District is facing a $66 million revenue shortfall caused by the loss of more than 7,000 students, the largest enrollment decline ever. Our fiscal strategy prioritizes the highest possible raises while protecting jobs and student services."

Carr, like other teachers WPTV has listened to, says the raise last year wasn't enough to cover the increased cost of their health insurance.

"It is very frustrating that it's the end of the year and we still don't have our raise. We do not have our raise for this year. All of this is just for this year," Carr said.

As teachers gear up for Wednesday's meeting, Carr has a message for the school district.

"Please do the right thing for teachers and for students in this district. If they don't, I think we are going to see a lot more than 250 teachers leaving."

The final hearing is set for May 6 at 2 p.m.