Florida Is One Of The Worst States to Pursue a Teaching Career
Summer is flying by fast, the kids in Florida have just over a month left before returning to classes. But what are they returning to? We need more teachers, which means encouraging people to pursue a teaching career. The Florida Education Association reported 7,553 advertised openings in Florida as of January 17, 2024. Teachers are leaving, and there’s no one to replace them.
Openings in Southwest Florida, as reported by Gulfshore Life, include “Collier County with 174 advertised instructional vacancies, Lee County had 260 and Charlotte County had just 25 openings.”
Florida High Demand Teacher Needs Areas
According to FDOE, these are the teachers needed the most in Florida:
ESE • English • Science-General • Math • Science-Physical • ESOL • Science-Earth & Space
*Exceptional Student Education is specially designed instruction and related services that are provided to students with disabilities and students who are identified as gifted.
That’s what we need in Florida. But teaching can be a tough job. And those pursuing a teaching career have options. Every state is competing to lure the best teachers, but it seems Florida is falling behind.
![Woman wondering why she chose to pursue a teaching career](https://96krock.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/61/2024/07/rsz_gettyimages-594066344_1720554024_.jpg?resize=1024,683)
Why People Pursuing A Teaching Career May Be Avoiding Florida
For someone just starting out on their teaching career, not only will they need to take the state-specific certification test, but will also be settling into a particular city and school community for a while. Education researchers at UTS Online, an online university, compiled a list of the best states for teachers in the US. The study considered 19 key factors that can make a difference for teachers, including average teacher wages, teacher pensions, pupil/teacher ratios, student performance and school safety. The 19 factors were then used to create a “score”.
Louisiana ranks last on the list with a 35.97 score. Teacher compensation in the state falls short of the national average, and Louisiana also has a relatively small teacher workforce, with only 902 teachers per 100,000 residents.
Locally, Florida’s teacher situation closely mirrors the national bottom, with a 38.30 score. The state ranks second-to-last in the nation for teacher employment and preparation. This translates to a significant teacher shortage in Florida, with only 682 teachers per 100,000 residents. Additionally, unlike some states, Florida doesn’t offer tenure protections for teachers, which can affect job security.
While Florida offers teacher pensions of around $19,765, this benefit alone might not outweigh the other challenges educators face in Florida. Like housing. Let’s take a look at all 50 states.
![Angry little boy in classroom.](https://96krock.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/61/2024/07/GettyImages-998527042_1720554810_.jpeg?w=724)
Full List Of The Best States For Those Pursuing a Teaching Career:
Rank | State | Teacher Compensation | Education and School Statistics | Student Performance and Attainment | Teacher Employment and Preparation | Environment | Total Score |
1 | Massachusetts | 7 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 49 | 68.55 |
2 | New Jersey | 15 | 4 | 2 | 20 | 6 | 64.37 |
3 | Connecticut | 13 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 63.63 |
4 | New York | 5 | 2 | 16 | 35 | 41 | 60.16 |
5 | North Dakota | 28 | 3 | 38 | 1 | 18 | 60.15 |
6 | Maryland | 2 | 24 | 7 | 27 | 40 | 60 |
7 | Illinois | 3 | 13 | 11 | 16 | 35 | 59.3 |
8 | Georgia | 8 | 27 | 14 | 2 | 28 | 59.26 |
9 | Colorado | 12 | 38 | 3 | 15 | 38 | 57.56 |
10 | Vermont | 50 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 56.7 |
11 | Virginia | 21 | 23 | 8 | 13 | 45 | 55.97 |
12 | Pennsylvania | 14 | 12 | 20 | 30 | 4 | 55.89 |
13 | New Hampshire | 45 | 9 | 5 | 37 | 50 | 55.22 |
14 | Washington | 10 | 32 | 10 | 22 | 26 | 54.54 |
15 | Wyoming | 48 | 8 | 22 | 5 | 20 | 54.03 |
16 | Texas | 6 | 31 | 26 | 14 | 16 | 54.02 |
17 | Minnesota | 24 | 21 | 12 | 32 | 9 | 53.59 |
18 | Nebraska | 44 | 19 | 31 | 3 | 25 | 52.18 |
19 | Rhode Island | 20 | 10 | 27 | 38 | 47 | 51.85 |
20 | Maine | 41 | 5 | 25 | 39 | 13 | 51.28 |
21 | Montana | 43 | 11 | 24 | 24 | 29 | 51.27 |
22 | Missouri | 11 | 16 | 40 | 31 | 37 | 51.16 |
23 | Idaho | 26 | 35 | 18 | 26 | 17 | 51.1 |
24 | Alaska | 17 | 25 | 30 | 41 | 23 | 49.7 |
25 | California | 1 | 49 | 29 | 19 | 31 | 49.69 |
26 | Iowa | 36 | 20 | 37 | 17 | 22 | 49.27 |
27 | Wisconsin | 47 | 18 | 21 | 29 | 5 | 49.2 |
28 | Utah | 31 | 48 | 9 | 8 | 32 | 48.89 |
29 | South Dakota | 46 | 14 | 35 | 21 | 46 | 48.81 |
30 | Ohio | 9 | 40 | 23 | 46 | 27 | 48.27 |
31 | Delaware | 39 | 26 | 32 | 25 | 3 | 48.01 |
32 | Oregon | 33 | 46 | 13 | 28 | 43 | 47.17 |
33 | Arkansas | 19 | 15 | 47 | 10 | 1 | 46.94 |
34 | Hawaii | 49 | 29 | 15 | 12 | 33 | 46.1 |
35 | South Carolina | 40 | 22 | 41 | 18 | 12 | 45.01 |
36 | Mississippi | 32 | 34 | 48 | 4 | 7 | 44.65 |
37 | Tennessee | 34 | 30 | 42 | 34 | 36 | 43.1 |
38 | Kansas | 38 | 17 | 34 | 48 | 44 | 42.99 |
39 | Indiana | 35 | 36 | 39 | 36 | 15 | 42.88 |
40 | New Mexico | 25 | 41 | 46 | 7 | 48 | 42.66 |
41 | Michigan | 22 | 43 | 28 | 47 | 11 | 42.35 |
42 | Kentucky | 16 | 37 | 43 | 43 | 2 | 42.31 |
43 | Oklahoma | 37 | 39 | 45 | 23 | 30 | 42.12 |
44 | Alabama | 4 | 42 | 49 | 40 | 24 | 41.55 |
45 | Arizona | 18 | 50 | 33 | 42 | 19 | 40.94 |
46 | North Carolina | 30 | 33 | 17 | 50 | 39 | 40.28 |
47 | West Virginia | 42 | 28 | 50 | 33 | 42 | 39.33 |
48 | Nevada | 29 | 47 | 36 | 44 | 21 | 39.17 |
49 | Florida | 27 | 44 | 19 | 49 | 8 | 38.3 |
50 | Louisiana | 23 | 45 | 44 | 45 | 34 | 35.97 |
Massachusetts is the top state for teachers in the U.S. First and foremost, the state boasts the best student performance results in the nation. They have the highest percentage of bachelor’s degrees, the top scores in 8th-grade NAEP math, and rank in the top 3 for 8th-grade NAEP reading scores. The state’s high-quality education is certainly alluring for teachers and recent college graduates pursuing a teaching career.
On top of stellar student performance, Massachusetts incentivizes teachers with one of the highest average salaries in the nation, ranking 6th after considering living costs. But it’s not just about paycheck. With a pupil-to-teacher ratio of 12, one of the lowest in the country, Massachusetts teachers have more time to give each student the individual attention they deserve.
The bottom line is, Florida needs to do a better job at attracting teachers. And this problem doesn’t just matter to those who have kids – but all residents. A kid with an education and the promise of a future is much less likely to get into trouble. It’s the kids that feel they have nothing to lose that are walking through your gated community jiggling car handles to see if any of the cars are unlocked.