Florida is continuing to face challenges in attracting and retaining qualified educators, according to the Florida Education Association (FEA). The organization reports that while there are fewer job vacancies at the start of this school year, this decrease is mainly due to significant budget cuts across districts. These cuts have resulted in thousands of eliminated positions, reduced programs for students and staff, larger class sizes, and a greater reliance on uncertified educators.
The FEA highlighted ongoing issues affecting public schools in the state. “While the data shows fewer vacancies at the start of this school year, the decline in vacancies is driven by extensive budget cuts which have led to districts cutting thousands of positions, reducing critical programs and offerings for students and educators alike, and leaning on larger class sizes and uncertified educators.”
The association also pointed out that many students will begin the academic year without permanent or certified teachers. There are also shortages among bus drivers, paraprofessionals, maintenance workers, lunch staff, and other essential personnel. According to FEA representatives: “Decades of failed public education policy have gotten us to a point where public-school students in Florida are being put last. Thousands of students will start the new school year without a permanent, certified educator in their classrooms, without enough bus drivers who will get them to and from school safely, without paraprofessionals, maintenance, and lunch workers, and so many others who make the difference in the lives of our children. Educators and communities are forced to do more with less funding and fewer resources, and the ones who pay the price are our students—reading and math scores are down, SAT scores are decreasing, and teachers in Florida rank #50 in the nation in average salary. To make matters worse, an unaccountable voucher system diverts $4 billion away from public schools and our students—money that can be used to provide much-needed support to children who are overlooked by corporate-run schools.”
The FEA maintains its position on providing all children with access to quality public education: “At the Florida Education Association, we believe that all children should have access to a world-class, free public education. And we know this is possible, but it requires a re-commitment to public education from our lawmakers and sustainable policies that ensure our public-school students are no longer pushed aside.”
For more details about current vacancy numbers within Florida’s schools as analyzed by FEA visit their full report.
