51 international teachers help to fill vacancies in Escambia County schools this year
By Mary Lett
Some Escambia County Public Schools teachers bring a firsthand worldwide perspective to their students and classrooms.
This year, the school district has 51 international teachers from all over the globe – ranging from as far as the Philippines to as close Jamaica. The district also has educators from Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Ghana, India and Zimbabwe.
The teachers are part of an international exchange program that provides career opportunities for educators from other countries, while helping school districts fill post-COVID 19 vacancies.
Now in its third year in Escambia County schools, Superintendent Keith Leonard said the educators teach at every level – from pre-kindergarten to George Stone Technical College.
“I believe we have 17 brand new international teachers on board this year,” Leonard said, noting that most of the teachers who started the first year – 2023-2024 – are still on board. “We had a handful who have left, but the majority are getting their full three years here in Escambia County schools.”
The school district works with TPG Cultural Exchange, a J-1 visa sponsor of the educators, to find qualified teachers, said Caroline Gray, ECPS coordinator of employee services.
“Similar to a foreign exchange student program, its (the J-1 program) purpose is to enrich U.S. classrooms and provide these educators opportunities they may not be able to experience in their own countries,” Gray said. “We have even had teachers set up Zoom calls from their previous school in their home countries for the students to ‘meet’ each other.”
Under a J-1 visa, an international teachers can work up to three years in U.S. schools. If eligible, the teachers can apply for up to two more years for a total of five years.
Gray stressed that the international teachers go through a rigorous months-long screening process and are certified to teach are certified to teach in Florida.
In Escambia County, the majority of international educators teach general education courses such as English, math or science, and in some cases, foreign languages and special education.
“The candidates TPG Cultural Exchange provides us are experienced, trained, certified, vetted and eligible to travel,” Gray added.
Leonard added the program has worked well in the school district.
“It has assisted us in covering vacancies that we’ve in the past. But we are retaining the vast majority of our teachers because they do purposeful and worthwhile work all of the time,” he said, adding that most of the 2,700 teacher positions in the district have been filled for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.
Despite recent updates to the U.S. work visa protocols for some countries, Gray said TPG Cultural Exchange has been communicative and supportive of the school district’s goals.
“We are at the mercy of delays, timing and approval processes. Like applying for a passport, things can get delayed and we do not always know why,” she said. “If this occurs, our schools have to make the decision that’s best for their students to have a teacher ready for them on Aug. 11.”