Florida schools are hiring military veterans to fill teacher vacancies in classrooms

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Florida encourages veterans to fill teacher vacancies at schools

Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz shares a new program being rolled out that would hire veterans in order to combat teaching job vacancies

America’s heroes on the battlefield are now taking on saving the classroom.

As the Sunshine State struggles to fill teacher vacancies in its schools, Florida is leaning on military veterans to help fill jobs instructing students.

Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz joined "Fox & Friends" on Friday to share that the bill to implement the program has passed and that 83 submitted applications have come in already.

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"This is a great pathway for us to be able to have our veterans, in this veteran-friendly state, to step up to the plate," he said, referencing the need in classrooms today.

An interior of a classroom in an elementary school is shown here. Candidates must have at least 60 college credits and have attained a 2.5 GPA or higher in order to be considered for teaching positions. (iStock)

Qualifying veterans will have served at least four years in the military, with an honorable discharge. 

Candidates must also have at least 60 college credits under their belt and have attained a 2.5 GPA or higher. 

They must also have passed the Florida subject-area examination. 

U.S. Marine Corps. veteran Al Pelosi, of East Islip, N.Y., is shown honoring veterans by walking some 3 miles with an American flag on the trail along Sunrise Highway near Connetquot River State Park Preserve in Oakdale, New York, last November. Veterans are applying to help fill teacher vacancies in Florida classrooms this year. (Steve Pfost/Newsday RM via Getty Images)

These requirements will allow veterans to work with a temporary teaching certificate while staying on track to earn a bachelor’s degree, Diaz explained.

"We’re a proud military state," said Diaz. 

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"The structure and skills that [the veterans] have will be valuable in the classroom."

Veterans will also be paired with a mentor teacher to help them master the art of teaching.

Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz joined "Fox and Friends" on Friday, July 29, 2022, to discuss the program that allows veterans to help fill teacher vacancies in the classroom this year. (Fox News)

Diaz emphasized that so-called soft skills learned in the military — such as structure and time management — will be a great benefit to America’s kids.

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"This is important in our classrooms because we’re missing some of that with today’s younger generation," he said.