Florida teacher shortage continues to improve, as number of uncertified teachers rises

According to the Florida Education Association’s last count, there are more than 3,000 teacher vacancies at the midway point of the school year in Florida. That’s an improvement from last year at the same time, but the data points to a rise in another concerning trend: uncertified teachers in classrooms.

The FEA says there are 3,197 vacancies across the state, compared to about 4,000 last year.

President Andrew Spar said that's good news, but he’s concerned that the number of courses being taught by teachers who aren’t certified in their assigned subject area has risen by 16% over the last three years.

“And very often, what that looks like is teachers studying a chapter ahead of the students to make sure that they have a good understanding of the content, but again, they don't have that natural grasp that they normally would if they were content experts,” said Spar.

There’s also been little improvement when it comes to filling open bus driver positions or teachers aide roles in the state, said Spar. Aides support teachers in special education classrooms.

“There are a lot of rules and laws that get in our way of making sure that there are fair pay scenarios in school districts that reward teachers who are staying and then two, the other factor is the climate in our schools that has been created by a lot of these laws passed over the last few years that limit teachers’ abilities to truly meet students where they are and bring them along, which is what everyone knows you need to have a solid education,” said Spar.

That means a lot of kids are being taught by international teachers, long-term subs, and even interns, said Spar.

In Polk County in September, there were 600 full-time subs on the books, which he said is a high number for a district to have.

According to a report filed with the Florida Department of Education, special education and technology education teachers are in the highest demand in the state.

Other areas of need are English (ELA), math, science, physical education and English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers.

In order to attract and retain teachers in these and other areas, the FEA is asking the legislature for the following this session:

• “invest $1,000 more per student each year 
• fully fund Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) so schools are free of mold, water fountains are free of lead, and every school has working air-conditioning and proper ventilation
• prioritize developmentally appropriate, teacher-led assessments over mandated standardized tests
• safeguard families from unaccountable private and charter schools”

To encourage more teachers to become certified in different high-need subject areas, several Central Florida universities and colleges are offering new bachelors in education programs including Valencia College and Daytona State College.

And UCF received federal funding to help more teachers earn their masters in special education this year.

For more on how to become a teacher in the state of Florida, click here.

Check out a county-by-county breakdown of teacher shortages below.

Florida school district teacher vacancies: January 2025 and 2024 counts *

* FEA performs counts of advertised vacancies listed on school district websites twice a year, in August and January. For the most recent vacancy numbers, please go to the district websites. These numbers are a snapshot in time.