Nonprofit Mississippi News This story is part 2 of a series on the teacher shortage in Mississippi. It was produced by The Hechinger Report (a non-profit, independent news agency that focuses on inequality and innovation within education) in partnership with Mississippi Today. Register here to receive the Hechinger newsletter, and here to subscribe for the Mississippi Today Education Edition newsletter. The first story focuses on the rise in teacher shortages. The third story focuses on grassroots efforts. ROSEDALE, Miss. ROSEDALE, Miss. — Jeremiah Smith is the founder of the Rosedale Freedom Project after-school program and summer program. He can often be seen sitting beside his students while they look at their laptops trying to complete their assignments. The room is decorated with posters featuring uplifting quotes from Henry David Thoreau and Maya Angelou. But Smith can also spot when students start to despair. They attend middle and high schools in West Bolivar Consolidated, Mississippi’s lowest-scoring district. “There is a moment when you ask enough questions that the student doesn’t know how to answer, and get enough blank stares that it’s obvious that they are in defeat. “Defeat hangs in that room.” Smith can also identify the root cause of his students’ frustrations: “The program is the problem.” Edgenuity is an online learning platform. Edgenuity and similar programs are being used by more school districts, including West Bolivar. This is because they have a shortage of qualified teachers. According to the Mississippi Department of Education, online learning platforms were used by 71 schools during the 2016-17 school years. In the next school year, that number increased to 106 schools. Students signed up for online courses in 91 schools last fall. This number could increase if more schools offer classes this spring. 22 percent of West Bolivar Consolidated schools district’s teachers were not properly certified last school year. This is 27 of the total 124. Only four teachers were certified at West Bolivar High School. According to Beverly Culley (district superintendent), West Bolivar adopted Edgenuity last year. She knew that recruiting would be challenging in the same way it is in the Delta. Her schools are in rural areas with high poverty and low pay. She was shocked to discover that only two West Bolivar High’s four teachers were certified in core subjects. “I was very worried about that. It was too late for us to hire teachers. We tried to find retired teachers to fill the vacancies. She said, “We couldn’t.” In January, the district found one retired teacher to teach science. Related: Teacher turnover leaves a dying Delta town without a teacher. Armon McKenzie, a West Bolivar High School senior, is the last remaining teacher. He spent his last year, when he wasn’t practicing football, most nights at Rosedale Freedom Project. There, he took advantage of the program’s in-person tutoring. His core courses in English and history were both delivered online. McKenzie stated that he really wants teachers, as he is trying to go to a better college and maintain a 3.5. “McKenzie added, “I do need teachers because I want to be able to do it with a computer [teaching] me].” McKenzie said that he has suffered from the absence of an expert teacher who is available to answer questions, facilitate discussions and spend extra time with students in need has impacted his education. He said, “It’s difficult because ain’t nobody really teaching.” “We are just reviewing some facts we should know, and it is kind of hard. How do you answer a question? McKenzie is concerned that the online program has made him feel lost. It makes me sad that my GPA is so low. It makes me sad because my GPA is low. Culley stated that the district attempted to find facilitators who had at least 18 hours of undergraduate credits in the subject being taught. However, she admitted that there were issues with facilitators who did not have enough knowledge about the content. Culley stated that it was difficult for her to see how many students had difficulty with the program. Edgenuity was better than a sub-long-term who may not have the knowledge the students need. According to the Clayton Christensen Institute (a non-partisan think tank that supports increased technology use in education), online learning can be an effective tool for districts with teacher shortages. Tom Arnett, a researcher in K-12 education for the group, stated that the program should be used with guidance from a teacher who is knowledgeable in the subject areas. Edgenuity’s advantage is that teachers have to spend time building those resources. Arnett said that it is nice to have resources you can grab off the shelf. He said that teachers need to be familiar with students’ activities to help them support their students. Mississippi had to hire 701 teachers at the start of the 2018-19 school years to fill all the vacant positions and fill in the gaps left by long-term substitutes. Edgenuity is a program that can be used to help districts avoid being placed on probation and potentially a state takeover if teacher numbers drop. At an October 2017 meeting of the West Bolivar board, $102,500 was approved to purchase 360 Chromebooks for distribution throughout the district. Edgenuity cost $53,000. Edgenuity students can access their courses online through an online portal. This includes lessons (like proportional relations for seventh grade math) as well as sub-lessons (such like unit rates and crossproducts). The portal consists of five elements: summary, warm-up and assignment. In the instruction segment, a series of videos with a teacher discussing and solving problems on the screen are followed by practice questions. A unit test is included at the end of each sub-lesson. Director of operations at the Rosedale Freedom Project Lucas Rapisarda said that the program does not always provide clear instructions on how to complete assignments. Rapisarda holds two bachelor’s degrees, and is currently pursuing his masters. He recalled last year that he and a student were stumped by a lesson about how to write a proof. Rapisarda recalls, “We don’t know how to submit an answer because it’s not clear what directions are available.” The student then went online and found the solution to his Edgenuity question. He copied it into his computer. Rapisarda stated that he told Rapisarda that his Edgenuity grade was perfect because he had been cheating all the time. I don’t blame him for not caring. “Online learning platforms such as that where you don’t have a teacher just shout, ‘Nobody cares.'” Related: Call from former educators to return to school. An Edgenuity spokesperson responded to questions about the program from Mississippi Today. A spokesperson for the company said they try to reduce confusion by working directly to school and district leaders when the program is implemented. The company then maintains regular communication with these leaders. We offer comprehensive in-person and online professional development training to schools and districts for teachers, counselors and program leaders. The spokesperson stated that these include workshops and support sessions for product training, best practices, and policies. “Additionally we offer a comprehensive student orientation video so that students can navigate the program with ease.” The company responded that cheating prevention is the responsibility of the district. However, the program has settings that allow teachers and administrators to proctor assessments. According to the spokesperson, the company offers a “Secured experience” in which districts can control the amount of access students have to the Internet while they are taking Edgenuity coursework. The Secured Experience program is currently in operation in 30 districts. As Mississippi faces a severe teacher shortage, 91 schools used online education programs in Mississippi last year. Edgenuity, according to the company spokesperson, is designed to prevent students falling through the cracks. Edgenuity is one of eight vendors approved by the state to offer online classes. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) must approve an online course before it can be offered. This is done by submitting an application from local school districts that proves the vendor’s content, curriculum and assessments conform to Mississippi’s course standards. The funding of the courses is up to the local districts. The program was funded in West Bolivar by a combination of Title I and district funds, as well as a grant from the U.S. Department of Education for school improvement. Parents and students have complained that Edgenuity instruction has led to a decline in grades for children, even those who are high achievers. Rapisarda stated that it is not about their ability. He said that they did not believe it was because they were unable to understand Edgenuity. Rapisarda said that many students visited the Freedom Project each day to receive tutoring after their grades began to fall. “That’s why their grades returned to where they were at beginning of the year but a lot more kids’ grades tanked.” An Edgenuity spokesperson stated that grades are given and determined by the district, and not Edgenuity. Students also find it difficult to complete homework with the online program. Many students don’t have access the internet at home. To complete their homework, they must either go to school after school or to the Rosedale Freedom Project. Because there aren’t enough Chromebooks in the district, the 360 Chromebooks West Bolivar bought have to be kept in schools. Access to the internet at school can be difficult. Some days, the district lost internet access due to a storm. Students couldn’t even access online lessons. Culley, who is the superintendent of the district, stated that students have extra time to catch up and can stay after school. Teachers from other schools in the district are also available to assist students with the program. Smith of Rosedale Freedom Project said that the problems go deeper than the shortcomings in the computer program. He said that students are less likely to value their dignity and learn if they don’t have teachers who are qualified. He said, “It’s a wider trend for how we treat children in the Delta, kids in Title I schools, black kids, and kids who grew-up in poverty.” Since January 2018, reporting on this story started, MDE officials have taken numerous measures to address the teacher shortage. “We are serious about tackling this problem and finding solutions that will help the bottom line. This is what’s best for the children. Cory Murphy, executive Director of the Office of Teaching and Leading (MDE), said that while we are moving with urgency, we also need to be careful not to negatively affect our children. Related: Mississippi College’s efforts to address teacher shortages Margaret Walker, former president of the Coahoma Country School District PTO, said that parents have complained to her about their children being discouraged from learning. Walker spoke out about a student enrolled in an online class. Walker: “I got one woman, she was telling [me] how depressed [her child] is because she’s never learning anything.” “She’s not challenged.” Clarksdale Municipal Schools District also turned online to fill its teacher shortage. Clarksdale had 38 teachers who were not certified last year, which was more than four times the number of 2014-15. Edmentum is a similar product to Edgenuity. In September, the district renewed its 12-month Edmentum license. It used $18,090 Title I funds. Clarksdale High School is the only school that uses Edmentum. It has used the program for nine year, according to Manika Kemp, federal programs director in Clarksdale district. Angelina Carr graduated in spring from Clarksdale. She stated that she had to rely solely on herself to understand the concepts required to pass the classes without consistent instruction. This was due to multiple teachers and one course via Edmentum. She said that the only thing she had was a computer that would tell her what to do. Clarksdale High principal Clarence Hayes said that the district does its best, but he can understand Carr’s pain because he “can’t get used to this teacher.'” Carr was bullied by her peers and had a stressful home. She felt that she didn’t have anywhere to turn. She said, “You go to school and you see these people that’s supposed give you this emotional support, and this educational support but they don’t.” They don’t give you any and you feel like you have to leave your house. They don’t give you any and now you’re like, ‘Why leave my house?’ Our academy’s state-certified teachers are highly qualified and trained in online learning best practices. However, our ultimate goal is to provide a bridge where no student goes without high quality instruction while we work with the district to build a sustainable model with their own highly qualified teachers. Although, our academy’s high quality, state certified teachers trained in best practices for online learning are laser focused on supporting students every step of the way, our ultimate goal is to provide a bridge where no student goes without high quality instruction while we work with the district to build a sustainable model with their own highly qualified teachers.”* Arnett, the Christensen Institute researcher, said there’s an important element of teaching that is relational — providing meaningful relationship-building between students and teachers — that cannot be replaced with an online course. Related: Is it possible to put the least-experienced teachers into high-risk schools and achieve success? Arnett stated that he has seen online learning used to make a positive impact on teachers as they work with students to address trauma, social and other emotional challenges. He said that ideal online learning would be used to help teachers have a more positive impact on students working with them on issues related to trauma, social and emotional challenges.
Line platform can deliver content and allow teachers to “focus really on meeting with students one–one or small groups, really working through the challenges they face individually.” However, this kind of balance requires a stable, high-quality teaching force. This is not the case in Mississippi districts that use online programs. Research has shown that student achievement is influenced by teacher quality. According to a 2012 study done by the Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research, the American Institutes for Research, teacher turnover can have a negative impact on student achievement. This is especially true when teachers who are more experienced or less effective are replaced. The study also found that the quality of relationships between teachers and students is a predictor of student achievement. Certification is a key indicator of quality. It means that teachers have been properly trained in the subject or grade they are teaching. Schools with higher numbers of at-risk students, such as those who are English-language learners or low-income, tend to have more teachers without full state certification. Mississippi has 3 percent of uncertified teachers. This percentage is comparable to other states’ rates, but it hides the seriousness of the teacher shortage in historically poor areas. The Delta is home to the 10 Mississippi school districts that have the greatest teacher shortages. These districts have between 19 and 34 percent of their teaching staff not certified. Each school in these districts receives Title I federal funds. These funds are provided to schools that have high numbers of children from low-income families. Kacie Neville, an ex-West Bolivar teacher, addressed the school board in September 2017 and asked them about the solutions being presented to solve the local shortage. Culley, who was appointed superintendent just months before, replied that the district had tried to recruit teachers and offered new teachers $5,000 signing bonuses. Culley stated that not enough teachers are graduating from undergraduate teacher preparation programs, and not enough are passing licensure exams. Neville stated that she did not blame the district. “What I am saying is that everyone knows that this is the case. She asked, “What can we do more or what are some innovative ways to get teachers above what we’ve been doing?” Arnett acknowledged that online courses could be part of the solution. However, it is not a “silver bullet” or panacea. Let people know that there are potential opportunities. But, it is possible to go wrong. Don’t get overhyped about it. Culley stated that West Bolivar has reduced its Edgenuity use by consolidating classes and increasing class sizes by about 20. This allows more students to receive the teachings of teachers. Rapisarda expressed gratitude for more students having teachers but was concerned about the fate of those who have received most of their education online. He said, “You just think about all of the time lost.” *Update: This story was updated with a response by the Edmentum CEO. This is the second part of a series on the teacher shortage in Mississippi. It was produced by The Hechinger Report (a non-profit, independent news agency that focuses on inequality and innovation within education) in partnership with Mississippi Today. Register here to receive the Hechinger newsletter, and here to subscribe for the Mississippi Today Education Edition newsletter. The first story focuses on the rise in teacher shortages. The third story focuses on grassroots efforts. To support this important work, you can make a regular donation to the Spring Member Drive today.