ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County Public Schools will start the new school year with 388 vacancies at Orange County Schools.

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However, no classroom will be without supervision come the first day of school.

Leaders said they’re in the process of assigning district staff and administrators to classrooms in schools across the county.

District and non-classroom school-based instructional staff has been redirected to cover those vacancies, in addition to long-term substitutes.

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Middle school teacher Brian Antoine said it’s not what anyone wants for the students.

He said those vacancies largely go back to veteran teachers leaving because they’re not getting paid enough, something he and the Orange County Teachers Union are battle the state and the board to change.

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“Over time, you don’t get wage growth for being in the position so those who have expertise aren’t really getting paid much more than people who are new to the profession,” Antoine said. “You get demoralized. You say, ‘Well, why am I continuing to do this? Maybe I should do something different.’”

The district said it is still actively recruiting, and the expectation is that they will have a teacher in every classroom for the start of school next week.

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