PALM HARBOR, Fla. (WCTV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking the Florida Legislature to approve a $1,000 bonus for public school principals and classroom teachers statewide in pre-K through 12th grade.

The one-time payment would go to more than 180,000 teachers, along with 3,600 school principals, according to the governor. The bonuses would be paid with $216 million in federal stimulus funding sent to the state.

“Florida school teachers have put student success first throughout the course of the coronavirus pandemic,” DeSantis said, calling keeping schools open in Florida a “huge success.”

“Almost every superintendent wanted to get back, most of the teachers wanted to get back,” the governor said.

The governor made the announcement during a press conference at Palm Harbor University High School Wednesday afternoon. You can watch the press conference, which was broadcast live on the WCTV Facebook page, below or at this link.