School year 2024-25 begins with lower teacher vacancy rate in Virginia

Virginia’s teacher vacancy rate dropped to 3.4 percent at the start of the school year in August,  a 1.3 percent improvement from the teacher vacancy rate that was reported to the Virginia Department of Education in July.

The lower rate, reported by school divisions on Aug. 26, 2024, is an overall .5 percent improvement from the teacher vacancy rate reported for the previous 2023-2024 school year. Today, 35 Virginia school divisions have a 0-1 percent vacancy rate, and 64 divisions have a vacancy rate under 2 percent.

This achievement comes after the National Center for Education Statistics reported Virginia’s student-to-teacher ratio reached the lowest level in the last 17 years, reflecting unprecedented improvements in teachers’ workload and availability to serve students.

“Our school divisions have worked incredibly hard to ensure that every Virginia child has a high-quality, committed teacher in his or her K-12 classroom,” said Lisa Coons, Superintendent of Public Instruction. “We remain focused on putting more qualified teachers in schools across the Commonwealth by providing innovative opportunities for aspiring educators, lowering classroom sizes, and decreasing workloads to retain the great teachers we currently have in our classrooms.”

Virginia continues to provide new pathways for educators. VDOE recently announced that, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, the receipt of a State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula (SAEF2) grant by the U.S. Department of Labor to develop and expand Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway and pre-apprenticeship pathway opportunities in Virginia.

The $6 million grant will enable Virginia to focus on expanding its current 28 participating school divisions offering teacher apprenticeships for K-12 educators and building pre-apprenticeship on-ramps into the teaching profession.

On August 28, 2024, the Virginia Board of Education finalized new local eligibility license opportunities. School boards, with superintendent or board recommendation, may now issue one-year, nonrenewable local eligibility licenses valid only within the issuing division. Eligible individuals must hold a baccalaureate degree, possess relevant experience or training, and not seek special education or higher licensure.

The Governor also signed into law earlier this year a bipartisan bill for Universal Teacher Licensure, making it easier for teachers from other states in good standing to get in Virginia classrooms faster. Additional licensure programs can be found on the VDOE website.

VDOE will report an updated teaching and staff positions this fall as part of the 2024-25 Fall Positions and Exits Collection reporting process.