Multiple Florida bills that could lead to higher high school athletics coaching pay takes next step

Tuesday marked another major stepping point for Florida high school athletics when it pertains to coaches potentially receiving higher coaching pay moving forward.

According to the Florida Coaches Coalition, HB 731 and SB 538 both passed unanimously on Tuesday in their respective subcommittees and are moving forward to the next step as the movement towards approving higher coaching pay in the state of Florida continues.

The next step would be the bills being approved by the House and Senate, which could happen sometime in March. The final steps after that would need to be signed off by Governor Ron DeSantis before it’s fully and officially approved.

“I think for now, our work is done,” Florida Coaches Coalition Executive Director Dr. Andrew Ramjit said to Rivals back in November. “All the information that we could have possibly put together is now in front of both Senate and the House. It’s also in front of the DOE and in front of the governor’s office. Everyone that needs to have all the information has the information and we’re talking years of research, all there in front of them. All of that has also been vetted by the state government, so the information is there.”

HB 731 focuses primarily on extracurricular funding flexibility for Florida high school school sports coaches, officially allowing booster clubs funds for extra pay. The bill’s key provision would gives school districts around the Sunshine State the flexibility to use booster club donations for coaching compensation, but would strictly prohibit using the funds to be used for severance pay of any sort.

SB 538 on the other hand centers around eligibility for athletic activities, removing the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) role for private school participation and bans schools from charging extra fees for extracurriculars.

One addition to the bills would dramatically change Florida’s high school athlete movement once a season begins as it reads the following:

(a) A student who transfers to a school during the school year may request to immediately join an existing team if the roster for the specific interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity has not reached the activity’s identified maximum size and if the coach for the activity determines that the student has the requisite skill and ability to participate.

(b) A student may not participate in sports if the student participated in sports at another school during that school year, unless granted approval by the executive director of the governing association or the student meets one of the following criteria:

1. Dependent children of active duty military personnel whose move resulted from military orders.
2. Children who have been relocated due to a foster care placement in a different school zone.
3. Children who move due to a court-ordered change in custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or death of a custodial parent.

Reason the aforementioned changes to athlete in-season transfer rules may be huge if passed is because movement during the regular season, especially for high school football, was rampant in Florida during the 2025 campaign.

A couple notable transfers that took place during the 2025 regular season was that of quarterbacks Darryon Jones to Venice and Leon Strawder to American Heritage, respectively. Jones ended up quarterbacking the Indians to the Class 7A state semifinals and Strawder leading the Patriots to a consecutive Class 4A state championship.

Below is the proposed coaches’ stipends amounts per the bill that has been worked on by Ramjit on the FCC that would set coaching pay at minimum wage, which would be $15 an hour starting in September of this upcoming school year.

Football

Head coach: $22,500 stipend (Based on working a minimum of 1,500 hours)

Coordinators: $15,000 stipend (Based on working a minimum of 1,000 hours)

Baseball, Basketball (boys/girls), Softball & Volleyball

Head coach: $11,250 stipend (Based on working a minimum of 750 hours)

Soccer (boys/girls), Cheerleading, Wrestling, Track & Field (boys/girls), Lacrosse (boys/girls) & Swimming (boys/girls)

Head coach: $7,500 stipend (Based on working a minimum of 500 hours)

Water polo, Cross country (boys/girls), Golf (boys/girls), Tennis (boys/girls), Flag football, Weightlifting (boys/girls) & Bowling (boys/girls)

Head coach: $3,750 stipend (Based on working a minimum of 250 hours)

How to Follow Florida High School Football

For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Sunshine State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Florida high school football excitement across the state.