1886 - Teachers from around the state met at the Florida Chatauqua in DeFuniak Springs and formed the Florida Education Association (FEA). At the time, most Florida teachers had a sixth-grade education and no formal training in teaching. Teachers' monthly wages ranged from $20 in Gadsden County to a high of $77.50 in Polk County. This teachers' union remains the state's predominant voice for educators and is affiliated with the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. The FEA currently represents more than 250,000 teachers and education staff professionals in Florida’s 67 school districts.