Brevard Public Schools Grapples with 366 Job Vacancies Amid Teacher Shortages
Brevard Public Schools, one of Florida’s largest school districts, is facing significant staffing challenges as it seeks to fill 366 open positions for the upcoming 2025-26 school year. The vacancies, spanning teachers, support staff, coaches, and administrators, highlight both local and national trends in education workforce shortages, particularly in critical areas like special education, math, science, and mental health support.
Brevard Public Schools is actively recruiting, with most application deadlines set for April 30, 2025, though some extend to June 2025 or remain “Until Filled.”
However, the district faces stiff competition. Florida reported over 4,000 teacher vacancies statewide this school year,
Experts point to broader systemic issues. The teacher shortage is a perfect storm of low pay, increased expectations, and public scrutiny of education. Districts like Brevard need competitive salaries and support systems to retain and attract talent.
Brevard Zoo Opens $2.1M Manatee Rehab Center, Welcomes First Patients
Churro and Randa, two rescued manatees, are the first patients at Brevard Zoo’s new $2.1 million Manatee Rehabilitation Center — a facility designed to help care for Florida’s struggling sea cow population.
Like the zoo’s sea turtle rehabilitation pools, the new manatee center is closed to the public to ensure the animals can recover in a calm, controlled environment.
Brevard County is a vital habitat for manatees, with nearly a third of the known population passing through or residing there each year. Its warm, shallow waters were once rich in seagrass — the manatees’ primary food source — but pollution-driven seagrass die-offs have led to widespread malnutrition, illness, and death in recent years.
Historically, sick and stranded manatees from East Central Florida were transported to SeaWorld Orlando. But with the rising number of cases, state and federal agencies have pushed to expand care capacity across the region.
Thanks to a $2.159 million grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the zoo’s facility can now house up to six recovering manatees at a time.
Churro has already reached her goal weight of 600 pounds and will soon return to the wild. Randa, rescued from the DeSoto Canal in January due to cold stress, weighs just 400 pounds and still has some recovery ahead — with hopes of release sometime next year.
Two Brevard County schools will receive the Florida Power & Light Company’s (FPL) $50,000 STEM Classroom Makeover Grant.
Coquina Elementary School and Port Malabar Elementary School, located in Palm Bay are among the newest recipients of the FPL STEM Classroom Makeover Grant.
The upgraded classroom is designed to inspire and empower students as they enthusiastically pursue knowledge in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Twenty schools in Florida will receive grants for the 2024-25 academic year.
Is MLB coming to Orlando?
Rick Glasby has good news if you’re a fan of baseball:
An investment group has raised $1.5 billion to try and lure a major league baseball team to Orlando. The group is interested in buying and moving the Tampa Bay Rays, or failing that, purchasing another MLB team. They have plans to build a $1.7 billion stadium through a public-private partnership with Orange County. The lawyer John Morgan is among the financial backers of bringing a team to Orlando.
Big Lots
After closing hundreds of stores and filing for bankruptcy in 2024 Big Lots is coming back. Under new ownership, Big Lots will reopen 132 stores in 14 states, including Florida. Sadly though, the closest one is in Ormond Beach, with others in Jacksonville, Crystal River, Mariana and Panama City.
More: www.floridatoday.com
