Maryland Teacher Vacancies Fall 73% Over Four Years

State officials say pay raises, targeted recruitment, and $33.7 million in Grow Your‑Own grants drove the decline while the state pledges continued investment to fill remaining openings.

Overview

State officials announced Monday that statewide teacher vacancies dropped from 2,145 in the 2022–23 school year to 572 in the current school year, a 73% reduction.
The Maryland State Board of Education credited a mix of salary increases, recruitment and retention efforts, and local pipeline programs for the improvement.
The single largest year‑to‑year fall was 45.3% between 2024–25 and 2025–26, with elementary vacancies declining 63.3% during that span.
At least 16 districts have received a total of $33.7 million in Grow Your‑Own Educators grants to help nonlicensed school staff train and become certified teachers.
More than 64,000 educators work in Maryland public schools and officials say they will keep funding recruitment and training until every classroom has a permanent teacher.