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The Kansas City, Kansas School District is expanding its use of the Proximity Learning platform to address ongoing teacher shortages in the district and state.

Proximity Learning allows a teacher working at a remote location to teach a class with the help of an on-site teaching assistant.

The district has been using Proximity Learning for several years, but this year it will expand its use to about 30 classrooms.

“We know it’s not the ideal situation, but it allows us to have a certified teacher in the presence of our students,” said Dr. Jarius Jones, assistant superintendent of human resources for the Kansas City, Kansas Public School District. “It allows us to fill in those gaps. We would rather have a certified teacher teaching these courses than a substitute teacher who has little to no expertise.”

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Jones says the district needs to fill about 60 teacher vacancies and that the district is aware of the barriers to applying.

“It has a bad reputation, it has a bad reputation, but we know there are people who are truly committed to educating students, who are passionate about it,” Jones said. “We also look at proximity as a vacancy. Our goal is to make sure that those spots nearby, that those spots right there are filled with a certified teacher hired through the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools.”

Prince-Russell Johnson served as a teaching assistant at Carl B. Bruce Middle School from September 2022 to May 2024.

During his time there, he worked with two Proximity Learning teachers who taught outside of South Carolina.

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“I was responsible for making sure the grades were entered, I was in charge of all the parent-teacher meetings and all the disciplinary matters,” Johnson said. “I made sure they had the devices they needed for class and that they could see and hear the teacher nearby. I did basically everything that had nothing to do with teaching the material.”

He says he has seen numerous benefits in the Proximity Learning platform.

For one thing, he said he was able to take on much of the work that would normally be done by a single teacher, allowing his distance learning teacher to focus entirely on teaching.

“Since it’s already complex online, it was good that I and the on-site teacher could help them with the content,” Johnson said.

He also noted that since the class was held over Zoom, teachers were able to record it so students didn’t miss anything and could watch the class again.

But many parents, like Miyah Masters, are skeptical about the idea of ​​hiring a distance learning teacher.

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“It’s a little sad because when I was growing up I had a very close bond with my teachers and I think it would be much better if someone would pitch in and be there right away,” says Masters.

Masters has two children – one in the KCKPS district who is in first grade.

“I feel like (technology) is contributing in some ways and in some respects to their farming methods, but I think it’s probably best to keep it the old-fashioned way — with pen and paper,” she said.

Johnson says he understands parents’ concerns about their children’s exposure to technology, but he also encourages them to view it as a positive that will likely spill over into more areas of their children’s lives.

“I can definitely attest to the fact that in-person learning can be successful,” Johnson said. “These kids spend a lot of time on their phones, they spend a lot of time on their devices – I don’t think there should be any resistance for their educational purposes either. At some point they’re going to have to take an online course, and having that experience is important because then you already know what to do; you know what it’s like.”

As for face-to-face interactions, Johnson says the proximity learning experience won’t completely replace them.

“I saw that students were actually learning and getting better as the year went on,” Johnson said. “I found new ways to motivate them, new ways to teach them the content, and I actually learned the content with them.”

Although the district says proximity learning has so far only been implemented in secondary schools such as middle and high school, Masters has already seen the technology used in her son’s classrooms.

“My son’s school only has two first grade classes with nearly 30 students each, so that was a big concern for me,” Masters said.

Jones says Proximity Learning classes are intentionally smaller, with about 15 to 20 students per class. These smaller classes have also been an advantage for Johnson during his time as an assistant.

“Some teachers have to spend so much time on discipline that they can no longer do what they love to do, which is teach,” Johnson said.

He says the solution to the teacher shortage is two-fold: it requires people who will advocate for teachers’ interests.

“I think even people who are interested in education are discouraged from taking on this role because they are not paid and the lack of student and parental responsibility,” Johnson said. “If we get parents more involved and actually involve them in their students’ educational journey, I think we will see a change in behavior in the kids and then teachers won’t be tearing their hair out in December.”

The district says it is looking for ways to not only hire more teachers, but also retain them.

One possibility is for lecturers to assist in proximity learning courses, who can then work as independent teachers in the next semester.

The district makes no promises regarding increasing teacher salaries.

“We continue to monitor that. We want to make sure we remain competitive. So that’s an ongoing issue,” Jones said.

Jones says KCKPS offers one of the highest starting salaries in neighboring districts and the state.

According to the district’s website, the Level 1 base salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree is $50,000.

When asked if proximity learning would be more cost-effective, Jones shared the district’s long-term financial goal.

“This will allow us to continue to stay afloat,” Jones said. “But our goal is – and I think this is more cost-effective – to have a classroom teacher to assist in that class.”

Until that happens, he doesn’t think proximity learning will go away anytime soon.

“It’s hard to say if, when, or even if it’s going to happen,” Jones said. “I honestly believe we’re going to see more of this in different districts, even some that never expected it, because it allows us to address a big problem – we don’t have enough teachers to fill those classrooms and meet the need.”

The school district and Johnson say they were able to measure student success in proximity learning classes and that academic performance in those classes was as good as in face-to-face classes.

Nevertheless, it is a changing landscape that takes some getting used to.

“I know parents and individuals don’t want to hear that their student is getting the actual instruction from someone who isn’t physically present,” Jones said. “But we can guarantee that that student is getting the education they need. The instruction, the instructional design they need.”

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