Florida Department of Education Reports 17.7% Drop in Teacher Vacancies 

Key Highlights :

The vacancies in Florida's teachers decreased by 17.7% for the year 2025–26.

Almost 30% cumulative fall over the previous two years of school.

Investment and alternative certification avenues were the factors that made the difference.

Key Background :

In recent years, Florida has been struggling with endemic deficits of teachers, particularly in fields like math, science, and special education. To turn the situation around, the state launched a series of strong reforms. The center of all this activity has been high amounts of funds invested into raising the salaries of teachers, and more than $5.9 billion have been allocated to pay raises since 2019.

Governor Ron DeSantis has placed teacher workforce development atop the education agenda of his administration. In addition to salary increases, his policies have similarly sought to increase alternative entry into the teaching force. They consist of the Teacher Apprenticeship Program, a classroom pathway to certification under the guidance of practicing teachers. The program seeks to dismantle obstacles to future teachers while preserving instructional quality.

Another creative program is the Military Veterans Certification Pathway. This provides veterans with the opportunity to instruct in Florida classrooms with a provisional certification while working toward full certification. It has breathed new life into more than 100 veterans, with many more pending. They are evidence of the state's desire to increase the diversity of the teaching force and introduce the profession to an increased audience.

While the state reports progress, not everyone is reporting the same. Teachers' unions have grumbled that vacancies remain elevated and the profession remains beset by burnout, politicization, and retention problems. They cite inconsistencies between state-reported figures and union-held surveys, which are generally higher in vacancy rates.

Nevertheless, education authorities contend that direct district-level data represent the optimal measure of the staffing environment. They contend that union projections are probably overstated because there are methodological and definition differences in the way vacancies are measured. Despite these variations, state and unions both report that teacher shortages, if still an issue, seem to be softening.

Florida Department of Education views the two-year declining trend as an indication that policy initiatives are bearing fruit. Ongoing investments, assistance to new teachers, and alternative certification programs should continue to be the central themes of the state's education drive.