ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida school districts are experiencing a fast-growing shortage of teachers available to fill positions across classrooms statewide, according to a teachers union.
The state's school districts have 2,217 available teaching jobs, which is an increase of 700 positions since January 2018, said Cathy Boehme, a legislative specialist for the Florida Education Association, the teachers union.
Recommended Videos
“All students deserve well-prepared, skilled teachers," Boehme said at the State Board of Education meeting in Pensacola on Wednesday. "What this critical shortage area report shows is we’re falling farther and farther behind in providing every student (a) high-quality teacher."
To help alleviate the issue, she suggested a "push for funding for basic education services" by raising the wages not only of teachers but of all paraprofessionals throughout schools. She said Florida ranked No. 45 for teacher salary in the nation.
"If we don't pay attention and take action to make teaching a more attractive, more competitive field, the gap will only grow," Boehme said. "And we will not achieve our state's economic and societal goals."
Here is a list of school districts in Central Florida currently hiring teaching positions:
- Orange County Public Schools: 83 available teaching positions located on the Orange County Public Schools website. To learn more, call 407-317-3200.
- Seminole County Public Schools: 18 available teaching positions located on the Seminole County Public Schools website. To learn more, call 407-320-0000.
- Lake County Public Schools: 68 available teaching positions located on the Lake County Public Schools website. To learn more, call 800-877-1113.
- Flagler County Public Schools: No positions are currently available.
- Brevard County Public Schools: 56 available teaching positions located on the Brevard County Public Schools website. To learn more, call 321-633-1000.
- Polk County Public Schools: 94 available teaching positions located on the Polk County Public Schools website. To learn more, call 863-534-0500.
- Marion County Public Schools: 53 available teaching positions located on the Marion County Public Schools website. To learn more, call 352-671-7700.
- Osceola County Public Schools: 51 available teaching positions located on the Osceola County Public Schools website. To learn more, call 407-870-4600.
- Sumter County Public Schools: seven available teaching positions located on the Sumter County Public Schools website. To learn more, call 352-793-2315.
- Volusia County Public Schools: Available positions are not listed on the Volusia County Public Schools website, but applications are still able to be submitted. To learn more, call 386-734-7190, ext. 20090.