South Carolina Teacher Vacancies Dropped for 2025-26 Year

State districts reported 706 teaching vacancies at the start of the 2025-26 school year, down from over 1,000 the previous year.

Updated on Sept. 19, 2026 in Special Education

Bold vector editorial illustration of a school desk with textbooks and a handbell, representing an improvement in teacher recruitment for South Carolina. — South Carolina school districts recorded 706 teacher vacancies at the start of the 2025-26 academic year, marking a significant decline from the previous year's figures. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should your local schools use alternative certification programs to fill teacher vacancies?

South Carolina school districts faced 706 teacher vacancies as the 2025-26 school year began. This figure represents an improvement from the more than 1,000 vacancies reported during the 2024-25 school year.

Why it matters

Alternative certification pathways like the Teachers of Tomorrow program are helping to expand the state's educator workforce. These initiatives aim to address critical staffing shortages in specialized areas, including special education.

South Carolina reported 706 teacher vacancies at the start of the 2025-26 school year, a decrease from the more than 1,000 openings recorded in the 2024-25 school year. Over 300 educators filled classroom positions this year through alternative certification.

The players

Teachers of Tomorrow

This is an alternative teacher certification program that allows professionals from other fields to transition into a teaching career.

South Carolina State House

This is the legislative body where state lawmakers meet to discuss and vote on education policy and compacts.

The details

The Teachers of Tomorrow program recruits individuals with bachelor's degrees from fields such as healthcare, business, and the military to enter the classroom. Participants receive training, mentorship, and classroom support while working toward full certification, with retention rates reported to be comparable to traditional preparation programs.

706 teacher vacancies were reported at the start of the 2025-26 school year.
During the 2024-25 school year, the state reported over 1,000 vacancies.
Lawmakers are scheduled to revisit interstate teacher compacts in January 2027.

Roadmap

The effort to reduce vacancies mirrors the broader national push to adopt the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. State lawmakers are looking toward the 2027 legislative session to further ease cross-border recruitment and bolster the educator pipeline.

The reduction in vacancies suggests more consistent classroom staffing for students throughout the state. Families may see fewer long-term substitute teachers as more roles are filled by formally certified educators through alternative pathways.

The takeaway

The successful integration of alternative certification programs signals a pivot toward non-traditional recruitment to stabilize classroom numbers. Educators entering through these paths are expected to provide similar long-term retention results as those from traditional four-year degree programs.