ORLANDO, Fla. -- Educators from across the state gathered in Orlando on Saturday in a public outcry requesting lawmakers to prevent $3.9 billion in cuts to classrooms.

The rally, sponsored by the Florida Education Association, was held three days before the legislative session begins.

"I really wish I didn't have to state something so simple: That it's time to make our schools a priority,” said Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association, the state affiliate of the national teacher's union. "I'm sorry students in the state may not be able to live up to their potential because political brokers in Tallahassee have turned their backs on kids."

Leaders from around the state are buzzing about Brevard County's showing on Monday, when as many as 10,000 community members came to address Brevard's legislative delegations, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported.

The crowd was hoping to prevent as much as $80 million in cuts to Brevard Public Schools, slices that could mean more than 900 employees losing jobs and a reversal of the voter-approved class-size amendment.

Saturday, the fight pressed on.

Educators filled the floor and first tier of the University of Central Florida arena. Brevard teachers took many of the seats in the front rows. They chanted "save our schools" and "no more cuts" and they held signs that read "Make our schools a priority."

Some teachers wore Band-Aids on their faces, proclaiming that cuts to education will never end.

"Florida will be in the same rankings as a third-world country if the cuts persist," said Ann Roberts, an exceptional education teacher at Merritt Island High School who has taught in the Middle East and England. "The Legislature and the public has to understand that if it collapses, we have nothing."

Union leaders are asking legislators to implement a three-year trial of the penny sales tax, which would be devoted to education.

Brevard legislators told the crowd last Monday that they would look at all possible revenue sources but they likely wouldn't support any tax hike.

Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Ronald Blocker also addressed the crowd, telling them that now all educators are united in the fight for schools.

"School boards, superintendents and teachers are speaking with one voice, one powerful voice and we want to be heard," Blocker said. "A teacher's job is to teach and your job (lawmakers) is to find the money."

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.