When students return to school on Monday, August 11th, a certified teacher will be leading every classroom. The School District of Lee County has reduced teacher vacancies to 65 and developed strategies to ensure certified instructors are leading those classrooms.
“I am excited for our students to have a certified teacher in every classroom as school begins for the first time in several years,” said Superintendent Dr. Denise Carlin. “The best way to ensure students succeed is to have as much time as possible with a qualified instructor, and we have made that happen. The Teacher Incentive Program has improved our retention rate, and I am also extremely proud of our Human Resources Department and School Administrators for their tireless efforts to recruit and hire new teachers.”
When hiring started for the 2025-2026 school year in April, there were 575 instructional vacancies. Today, there are 65. One year ago, the School District had 235 vacancies a week before the start of school. Florida’s teacher vacancies for the upcoming 2025-26 school year dropped by nearly 18%, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis. However, in Lee County, teacher vacancies have dropped 72%.
Of the School District’s 82 traditional K-12 schools:
- 53 have 0 vacancies
- 13 have 1 vacancy
- 16 have 2 or more vacancies
Schools with vacancies will use certified teachers working in other positions to lead instruction until a full-time teacher can be hired. Recruitment will not stop until every position is filled.
