The teacher shortage in the United States certainly didn’t happen overnight, and it’s not likely to go away anytime soon. While the issue may have only hit major headlines recently, education professionals have seen it coming for years — and many say that not enough steps are being taken to address it properly.
Of course, no one specific thing can explain the teacher shortage. In fact, there are many factors that have contributed to this ever-growing problem, and it’s now affecting almost every school district across the country.
Some of these factors include:
- Nearly 50% of teachers quit in their first 5 years
- 1 in 4 teachers quit the profession each year due to job-related stress
- On average, teachers are paid 20% less than their peers with a similar education
- The rate of teachers getting physically assaulted by students is increasing
- Teacher retirements increased dramatically in 2020
- The number of teachers needed far exceeds the number of education program graduates
- Conversation surrounding Covid-19 vaccine mandates
Whatever the reasons, the fact remains that droves of teachers across the United States are leaving the profession and there isn’t a suitable pipeline of education students to replace them. Fixing this pervasive teacher shortage will require some creative solutions.
That’s where Elevate K-12 comes in.
Elevate K-12 hires highly qualified and certified teachers to work remotely as independent contractors. Teachers can work anywhere from five to 30 hours a week, with the flexibility of choosing those hours and building their own schedules.
Virtual teachers who work with Elevate K-12 teach in real-time by live streaming directly into classrooms where paraprofessionals are ready to handle any behavioral issues, help with grading, and manage any in-classroom needs.
With this model, a highly qualified teacher is providing live instruction in their specialty subject and building those imperative personal relationships with students without having to spend much instructional time on logistical or administrative responsibilities.
Elevate K-12 formats are not e-learning, they’re not credit recovery programs, and they’re not filling the classroom with under qualified substitute teachers.
They are:
- Full-year or interim live instruction
- Small group live instruction
- Aligned with state and national curriculum standards
Because of this, school districts around the country can use whichever format meets their needs at any given time. If a district is forced to start the year with vacancies, it can fill those positions remotely — at any time — with highly skilled professionals instead of cramming too many students into another classroom or hiring far too many substitute teachers who aren’t adequately trained to teach classes on their own.
School districts that partner with Elevate K-12 can enjoy the many benefits that come with having fully staffed buildings, experienced teachers who enjoy teaching online, and students who find academic success, build new technology skills, and collaborate with their teacher and peers in real-time.