Jersey City schools turn to remote teaching amid ongoing teacher shortage

[Lauren Taylor]

BACK-TO-SCHOOL HAS BEEN BUMPY FOR ONE NEW JERSEY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

JERSEY CITY, LIKE MANY DISTRICTS NATIONWIDE, IS STRUGGLING WITH AN ONGOING TEACHER SHORTAGE. 

NOW THEY’RE TURNING TO REMOTE TEACHING TO KEEP CLASSROOMS FUNCTIONING SMOOTHLY. 

JERSEY CITY HAS STRUGGLED TO FILL CERTAIN TEACHING POSITIONS, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH SCHOOL GENERAL EDUCATION AND SPECIAL EDUCATION.

THE SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT EMPHASIZING THAT SINCE THE PANDEMIC, RETAINING TEACHERS HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING. 

MANY EDUCATORS HAVE MOVED TO BETTER-PAYING DISTRICTS OR LEFT THE PROFESSION ALTOGETHER, AND FEWER STUDENTS ARE CHOOSING TO ENTER THE TEACHING FIELD.

JERSEY CITY WILL USE AN ONLINE PROGRAM TO HELP FILL THE GAP IN HIGHSCHOOL CLASSROOMS. CERTIFIED TEACHERS WILL CONDUCT LIVE VIRTUAL LESSONS, WHILE A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER REMAINS PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE CLASSROOM TO ASSIST STUDENTS.

SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY THIS APPROACH ALLOWS FOR A MIX OF IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION. 

THE PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN ALL FOUR OF JERSEY CITY’S COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS. THE SCHOOL BOARD JUST APPROVED THE PROGRAM IN THEIR AUGUST MEETING, WITH A BUDGET OF OVER 578-THOUSAND-DOLLARS.

WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THESE DEVELOPMENTS CLOSELY AND BRING YOU UPDATES ON HOW THESE INITIATIVES UNFOLD THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.