The Florida Department of Education announced teacher vacancies for the 2025-26 school year are down 17.7% from last year, marking a nearly 30% decrease over the past two years. The state attributes the drop to increased teacher pay, classroom autonomy, and expanded certification pathways such as the Teacher Apprenticeship Program and Military Veterans Certification Pathway. More than $5.9 billion has been invested in educator pay since Gov. Ron DeSantis took office.