Can Wake find enough teachers to work summer program for at-risk students?
Wake County school leaders are worried about recruiting enough teachers to work in a new state-mandated summer learning program that could draw more than 20,000 at-risk students.
The General Assembly is requiring North Carolina school districts to offer a K-12 summer learning program to help students who’ve suffered learning losses during the coronavirus pandemic. Wake County school officials said Monday they anticipate needing 1,300 teachers this summer but so far have found only limited interest from educators who’ve juggled teaching both in-person and online students for the past year.
Only 43% of the 4,375 staff members who took a district survey said they’re interested in summer employment. More than half of the people who expressed interest said they don’t want to work the full six-week program.
“I am certainly not surprised at the low response rate of interest for continuing the summer,” said school board member Christine Kushner. “I’m grateful to those 1,000 who said they want to keep going.
“I’m grateful to every teacher, and many teachers who have children at home who need that break this summer, I can certainly appreciate that.”
Higher pay, bonuses considered
To get enough staff, Wake is looking at paying teachers $40 an hour and non-certified staff $20 an hour to work in the program. In addition to the state-mandated $1,200 bonus for teachers who have national board certification, Wake may also offer a separate bonus for people who commit to working the entire six weeks.
“(We want to) make sure that we can support our teachers in a way they deserve because we know what they’re being asked to do after the year that they’re coming off,” Edward McFarland, Wake’s chief academic advancement officer, told a school board committee on Monday.
Board member Jim Martin said he doesn’t “have really high confidence” in getting enough teachers for the summer program. He pointed to how bonuses to recruit school bus drivers and substitute teachers hasn’t gotten them all the people they need.
“The reality is staring us in the face,” Martin said. “There is really only so much we can do in terms of sweetening the pot because we don’t have unlimited resources.”
23,000 at-risk students identified
School districts must offer students at least 150 hours or 30 days of summer in-person instruction. The program is geared toward at-risk students, but attendance is voluntary and is open to any student, space permitting.
Wake expects to invite around 23,000 students to attend the program, according to Drew Cook, assistant superintendent for academics. He says schools are looking at past and current test data and grades to help identify students.
Invitations will go out the first week of May, with families being asked to respond by May 14.
Wake says it may also open up seats for students who are not at risk if there’s space available.
Year-round schools have until Oct. 1 to complete the 150 hours. But McFarland said they’re asking the state, which adopted guidelines for the program, to provide year-round schools flexibility to go later into next school year.
Program will be ‘fun’
Students in kindergarten through second grade will get instruction in reading and math. Students in third through eighth grade will get instruction in reading, math and science.
K-8 students are also required to get a period of physical activity and at least one enrichment activity, such as sports, music and arts.
High school students will get in-person instruction in end-of-course subjects and an elective course. They’ll also get access to online courses to help them pass courses they failed.
School transportation and meals will be provided to the 136 sites that Wake plans to offer the program at this summer. Every middle and high school will offer a program on site with select elementary schools offering the program.
McFarland said the program will not be like traditional school. He said they know they must make the experience “fun” for students.
“We want it to feel like a summer experience,” he said.
