Florida Department of Education Announces 17.7% Reduction in Teacher Vacancies for the 2025-2026 School Year

July 31, 2025

FDOE Press Office
850-245-0413
DOEPressOffice@fldoe.org

Florida Department of Education Announces 17.7% Reduction in Teacher Vacancies for the 2025-2026 School Year

Tallahassee, Fla., July 31, 2025 – Today, the Florida Department of Education announced that teacher vacancies for the 2025-2026 school year are 17.7% lower than the 2024-2025 school year. Compounded with the reduction in 2024-2025, teacher vacancies have decreased by nearly 30% over the last two years. Vacancy data is reported directly from school districts to the Department, contrary to other sources that attempt to use inaccurate data from third-party sources to inflate teacher vacancy data.

“Florida continues to attract the best teaching talent because we have raised teacher pay, empowered our teachers in the classroom and created new pathways for Floridians to enter the teaching profession,” said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. “While the teachers unions use the same, tired tactics in an attempt to smear Florida’s education system, we are focused on providing our teachers with the tools they need to succeed, and the data show our approach is working. I am proud of the work Florida has done to dramatically reduce the number of vacancies across the state thanks to the policies Governor Ron DeSantis has championed.”

Since Governor DeSantis took office, Florida has dedicated more than $5.9 billion towards teacher and other instructional personnel pay increases. Additionally, Florida has expanded the number of pathways for qualified individuals to enter the teaching profession. Through the Teacher Apprenticeship Program, more than 80 individuals are receiving on-the-job training from veteran teachers while they pursue their teaching certification and nearly 500 have applied for the program. Additionally, more than 100 military veterans have begun their teaching career through a temporary teaching certificate through the Military Veterans Certification Pathway and nearly 700 have applied for the program.