Over the past several years, various research reports have highlighted major hurdles for Kindergarten-12th grade education - with one of the most prominent being teacher shortages.
In my role as the Director of Instructional Models, I have various responsibilities, but two core objectives guide me daily. The first is to inspire instructional leaders and principals at FlexPoint Virtual School to implement personalized instruction, resulting in exceptional student outcomes. The second objective is to equip these leaders and their dedicated teachers with the necessary tools and resources to ensure their success.
While these two objectives are easy to describe, they are not straightforward by any means. Having been a teacher, principal, and school leader, I’ve learned effective methods to attract, recruit, and retain teacher talent. However, adjusting HR practices can take time, so short-term solutions are crucial for school and district leaders in the interim.
For education leaders grappling with teacher shortages, I’ve put together a short-term solution to help you meet your goals and objectives this school year.
Work with a Supportive Third-Party Partner
Last school year, I had the privilege to chat with school and district leaders from around the nation at several education conferences. During these conversations, we discussed a handful of challenges they’re facing due to teacher shortages, including having difficulty hiring for specific subject areas like world languages and Advanced Placement® to unexpected absences in the middle of the school year.
For immediate staffing needs, I recommend partnering with a supportive online learning provider. Whether you need teacher support for several courses or if you have one class where a teacher left unexpectedly, this partner should be an extension of the incredible work you and your teachers already do.
For example, we partner with Hart-Ransom Academic Charter School (HRACS), a WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) accredited charter school based out of Modesto, CA, that provides a variety of flexible learning options to students and families who desire direct learning from home.
After our initial meeting with HRACS, it was clear that our organizations share the same core value: the student is at the center of every decision. “We are so invested in our students and their growth, and as soon as we started working with FlexPoint, we felt like they were equally as invested. That is what a real partnership looks like,” said Rashell Avila, Online Tech Support Specialist with HRACS.
HRACS utilizes FlexPoint Virtual School, our fully comprehensive online learning solution that provides schools and districts with expertly crafted digital courses, intuitive systems, and certified teachers. Those resources, plus HRACS’ guidance counselors and school administrators, work seamlessly together to ensure student success.
“In the past we worked with other online learning providers, and everything felt prescribed. But with FlexPoint, we have the flexibility to personalize learning to match a student's individual needs, and that makes all the difference. While there are many online learning providers to choose from, what stands out about FlexPoint is their flexibility and willingness to find solutions that best fit our students’ needs.” said Avila.
Additionally, it’s important to find a partner who can offer a variety of instructional models to fit your needs. FlexPoint Virtual School is model agnostic, which means we can support schools that are fully online, half online and half in-person, labs or blended learning models, and more.
The key takeaway: if you have immediate needs, it’s critical to find a provider that will be your partner in learning. You’ll be set up for success if you find a team that truly listens to your school’s needs and cares about individualizing learning for your students.
I hope this short-term solution helps with the teacher shortage challenges you may be facing. To ensure your students don’t miss a step, we’re dedicated to helping you find the support you need. At FlexPoint, we offer asynchronous and short-term synchronous teacher shortage solutions. Click here to learn more about the support we can provide.
