SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – The teacher shortage continues to plague schools around the state of Florida. It’s caused some students at Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs to transition to an alternate learning method.
The high school is now using a virtual platform to teach students Algebra II.
This virtual class is taught by a certified math instructor in the interim while Seminole County Public Schools searches for new a hire.
News 6 reporter Treasure Roberts spoke with a student in the class who preferred to remain anonymous.
The student said for the first month of school, a substitute teacher was assigned to her class, but students still didn’t do any work.
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She added that most of the students were just on their phones.
After transitioning to virtual learning, students tackled daily assignments while being supervised by a school counselor.
The student said the teacher was in the classroom for the past week to introduce the course, but typically, they won’t be in the class physically.
She said they can reach the teacher by email for any questions they have.
This is one of thousands of teacher vacancies in the state of Florida. It’s a problem education officials are working to address.
According to the Florida Department of Education, these are the top critical shortage areas for the school year:
- Exceptional Student Education (ESE)
- English
- Science-General
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
- Reading
- Science-Physical
- Math
- Tech Education (CTE)
Nicole Powers is the president of the National Training Network (NTN). The company teams up with schools to prevent disrupted learning.
“I think districts have to get creative with what those solutions look like,” Powers said.
Powers said virtual class will never replace a highly qualified teacher being in the classroom, but it will promote more engagement than students doing work independently.
She added that virtual learning may not necessarily hurt students, especially because each student operates differently.
“My dream would be that that does continue and it’s an option, it’s an alternative option so that there’s multiple pathways, multiple options for students,” she said.
Powers’ company has an innovative solution to the nationwide teacher shortage. It’s called Key Elements to Mathematics Success (KEMS).
The company trains new teachers and substitutes to provide quality math instruction.
The program’s purpose isn’t to replace highly qualified math teachers.
Powers said it can serve as a tool to improve students’ experiences in math classes while schools work to fill teacher vacancies.
The Lake Brantley High School student told News 6 reporter Treasure Roberts that she hopes to get a permanent teacher soon.
As of now, she is worried she won’t be ready for the next level of math.
A spokesperson for the school district said they’re connecting with people who don’t have education degrees but have a passion for working with children in hopes they can help them transition into the classroom.
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