Florida’s Teacher and Staff Vacancy Crisis Continues

The latest teacher and staff vacancy data is out, revealing that hundreds of thousands of children across Florida will return to their neighborhood public schools this year without a permanent, fully certified teacher in their classroom.

Amid announcements of school closures, deep budget cuts, and significant cuts in positions in districts across the state, the number of advertised instructional vacancies has climbed to 3,157, hundreds more than this time last year. When combined with education staff professional vacancies, the total stands at approximately 5,536 statewide, exceeding last year’s numbers and signaling that the situation is getting worse, not better. These vacancies are not just open positions; they reflect a system where failed public education policy has systematically disadvantaged public schools and the dedicated people who power them.

Vacancies are growing and its clear the state is not on the right path when it comes to solutions, especially when you consider  the chronic underfunding and counter-productive polices that come from the state. 

This year’s budget ignored nearly half of Florida’s educators and included no salary increase for education staff professionals, continuing a trend that has left Florida ranked 50th in average teacher pay for three years straight. Last year, 31% of classroom teachers had fewer than four years’ experience, and the state’s own 2026-27 critical shortage report shows vacancies are increasingly filled by out-of-field or temporary teachers, with the number of certified teachers being replaced more than doubling over five years. On top of this, $5 billion in taxpayer money is being drained from public schools and diverted toward Florida’s unaccountable voucher program. Compound this with unnecessary and burdensome rules forced on public school teachers and staff plus the state’s out-of-control cost of living, it makes things even harder and as a result, many educators are forced to reconsider their future in the state or the profession they love, fueling high turnover. 

“Thousands of vacancies still remain, showing us that districts are struggling to find and retain qualified educators,” said Andrew Spar, President of the Florida Education Association. “Educators and communities are being forced to do more with less, and it’s our students who suffer when they lose access to critical programs, face larger class sizes, and grapple with widening opportunity gaps. Public schools welcome every child with open doors and open arms because we believe in and support Florida’s Constitutional mandate that every child must have access to a uniform, free, high-quality education. Parents and voters have made it clear that they want stronger public schools—where more than 80 percent of Florida’s children go to learn—and that starts with leadership that fully funds the resources students need to succeed and respects educators with fair pay.  As voters head to the polls next week for school board races and in November for the Governor’s race and more, it’s critical that they consider the impact those races have on the solutions that communities can bring forth on issues like funding and vacancies. Protecting our children and their public schools shouldn’t be a partisan issue; it’s a fundamental principle we can unite on.”

Increased vacancies and chronic underfunding of public schools are some of the reasons why the Florida Education Association, parents, educators, civil rights groups, and community members have joined together in a lawsuit demanding the state uphold its constitutional duty: to provide every child a “uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high-quality system of free public schools.” If success for all students is the priority, Florida should be working with, not against, teachers, staff, and parents to strengthen our public schools. That means increasing funding by $1,000 per student, eliminating punitive laws that systematically disadvantage public school students and educators, setting consistent and uniform standards for all schools so parents can make the best decisions about their child’s education, and raising educator salaries so districts can attract and retain the qualified teachers and staff who are fundamental to student achievement.