JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — A years long, critical teacher shortage in Jefferson Parish is over.

“We’re very happy with our numbers right now. We have 70 vacancies,” Chief Academic Officer Laura Roussel said. “It really is a great place for us to be. That’s a very normal number.”

Last year, the district had close to 150 vacancies. With around 70 schools in the district, Roussel says they only have about 1 vacancy per school.

Roussel says many teachers left the district after COVID-19. She says the district has made progress through targeted hiring efforts, including several job fairs and an in-house teacher certification program launched five years ago.

School Board member Derrick Shephard said strong relationships between educators and students can make a lasting impact.

“Teaching is not

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