Gary, IN public schools turning to online teachers amid in-person shortage

GARY, Ind. (WLS) -- The first day of school is just a few weeks out for students in Indiana, and some children will return without teachers in the classroom because of a teacher shortage.

Gary's public school system is taking a high-tech approach to address the problem.

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A severe teacher shortage has hit Gary's public school system hard. A change in licensing requirements has forced the school board to hire online teachers for its high school and middle school students.

But, on Thursday, they made it clear these teachers are only meant to be a temporary solution.

As Gary's West Side Leadership Academy readies itself to welcome back its students on Aug. 13, they are getting ready for another change. The introduction of online teachers was made necessary by the expected loss of a large number of the public school system's existing personnel, who are not yet fully licensed.

"About a third of our teachers are on emergency teaching licenses. This year, the state legislature said, 'hey, that's enough. It's time to get that done,'" said Michael Suggs, Gary Community Schools school board president.

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In anticipation of having to let go many of the more than 80 teachers currently on emergency licenses, the school board last week approved the hiring of up to 41 online teachers who will work exclusively at the high school and middle school level for as long as it takes to hire fully licensed in-person teachers.

"We are not moving forward as a permanent measure to replace in-person teaching. This is not the goal," said Jovanka Cvitkovich, with Gary Community School Corporation.

Unlike pandemic-style online teaching, students will be in their classrooms with what officials are calling a classroom facilitator, who would act as a bridge between them and their teacher. While the model might be unusual, it's one that is being used nationwide, as school districts struggle to fill in-person positions.

"There is a teacher shortage. We are not unlike any other community in the country," Suggs said.

The move is a setback for Gary's public school system, which came out from being under state control last year, and which, according to the Indiana Department of Education, currently enrolls little more than a third of Gary's children, most of whom attend either charter or public schools.

Because teachers on emergency permits have until the start of the school year to demonstrate that they have completed their requirements, the exact number of online teachers Gary Public Schools will take on will likely not be known until the last minute.