Filipino teachers help DCPS fill remaining classroom vacancies ahead of new school year – 104.5 WOKV

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The countdown to the first day of school is on, and Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) is still working to fill open teaching positions.

Last year, DCPS said it entered the school year with 97% of teaching positions filled. That translated to about 250 classroom vacancies on day one.

However, when Action News Jax asked how many vacancies remain now, the district said it would not provide an updated number until next week.

DCPS provided Action News Jax with the following statement Friday afternoon:

“Each year, we provide media with “Back to School” information, which includes data on teacher vacancies. We typically provide this the week before school starts so that you have the most concrete and up-to-date data,” the district wrote. “Our vacancies tend to be mostly in specialized areas.”

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To help close the gap, DCPS has been recruiting teachers from around the world — including countries like the Philippines, Ghana, and Jamaica.

Three of those teachers — Zarah Santos, Roann Villapaz, and Aubrey Albaracin — moved from the Philippines to Jacksonville through a cultural exchange program designed to fill critical vacancies.

“I sent my resume all around the world. America was the first one to open up its doors for me,” said Aubrey Albaracin, who now teaches in Duval County.

The women are part of TPG Cultural Exchange, an official J-1 visa sponsor designated by the U.S. Department of State.

TPG’s website says: “Teachers can engage in the cultural exchange program for up to 5 years: the initial visa is issued for 3 years, and at the conclusion of the 3 years, teachers can request an extension for 2 more years for a total of 5 years.”

The women have already been teaching in Duval County for a couple of years.

“I got a call from South Carolina and Jacksonville. Given that there’s a big Filipino community in Jacksonville, I felt there would be more support here,” Santos said.

But the job comes with challenges beyond the classroom. Many of these teachers, like so many others, are paying out of pocket for basic supplies, which is why events like Saturday’s “Balik Skwela” (Back to School) drive—hosted by Jax Filipinos—are so important.

“It makes us more focused on lesson planning instead of budgeting,” Villapaz said.

While adjusting to a new school system, these teachers are also dealing with growing concerns about immigration enforcement and visa status.

“There was a teacher in Ohio who got detained. He had a J-1 visa too. That gave me a scare,” Santos said.

The teachers say TPG provides them with regular updates and instructions, but recent news has led some of them to take extra precautions. “I normally don’t do it, but I travel with my passport now just in case I get stopped and need to show documents,” Santos added.

The teachers say the shifting political climate adds uncertainty they didn’t anticipate when accepting the job offers.

“My program, TPG, is guiding us and easing us because they know we came here legally,” Villapaz said. “And my school is very supportive. They reassure us that we are here through a proper process.”

Local immigration attorneys Action News Jax spoke to advise that the teachers carry a copy of their J-1 visa and passport as proof of their legal status, should they ever be questioned.

For now, these international teachers remain focused on preparing their classrooms and supporting their students, hoping policy debates happening at the state and national levels won’t interfere with their mission to teach young minds in Duval County.

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