Teachers in the Cloud: Benton Harbor's High-Tech Fix for Classroom Gaps

In Benton Harbor, Michigan, a unique approach is being used to tackle the teacher shortage. Instead of traditional teachers, some classrooms have virtual educators. These teachers are live-streamed into the classroom. This idea came from a suggestion by the school superintendent, Simone Griffin. She heard about this method from a colleague in Kansas. The school board agreed to spend $1. 1 million on this plan. This money will bring in virtual teachers for subjects like math, science, and art. The goal is to fill 18 empty teaching positions. The virtual teachers follow the school's lesson plans and hold office hours for students. A classroom helper, trained by the virtual teaching company, is also present to assist students. The school is using this plan as a temporary fix. They hope to recruit full-time, in-person teachers soon. The school board president, Dashuna Robinson, sees this as a chance for classroom helpers to learn from the virtual teachers. This way, they can improve their teaching skills. The teacher shortage is not just a problem in Benton Harbor. Schools across the country are struggling to find and keep teachers. Benton Harbor faces extra challenges. The area has high poverty and low income. This makes it harder to attract teachers compared to wealthier school districts. To compete, Benton Harbor offers bonuses to keep and attract teachers. Since last fall, they have hired several new teachers. The plan is to fill all empty positions by summer 2026. But this depends on how many teachers they can recruit.