4 Capacity-Building Strategies for New Teachers, Alternative-Certification Teachers, and Overtaxed Teachers

Enhancing capacity for educators certainly doesn’t mean expecting them to do more—it’s just the opposite, in fact. It’s recognition that these talented professionals are asked to do a lot and that they need more than self-care practices to sustain an ongoing commitment to their craft.  

More recent teacher shortages have only compounded the need to wrap our arms around the existing teacher workforce. We know that the strain on schools and districts has resulted in increased class sizes, an over-reliance on long-term substitutes, and more emergency- and alternative-certification programs.  

So, how do we leverage creative staffing strategies that supplement, not supplant, the efforts of our brick-and-mortar classroom teachers? Consider four strategies and Edmentum program options that could help you target your needs regarding expanding capacity. 

1. Offer development beyond one-size-fits-all PD

Does “meet them where they are ready to learn” sound familiar? Well, it applies to teachers too. Similarly to how students benefit from both on-grade-level direct instruction and personalized, targeted differentiation to meet their unique needs, educators deserve professional development (PD) that provides the same approach.  

Recent data regarding teacher turnover and satisfaction points to the potential benefits of personalized PD as well. According to a Chalkbeat analysis of data from eight states, the 2021–22 school year turnover was at the highest point in at least five years—typically around two percentage points greater than before the pandemic. With more educators leaving their schools, or even the profession altogether, districts must often turn to less-experienced staff. More encouraging data from a June 2024 Tyton Partners survey of K–12 teachers points to maintaining the health of school culture and community as a top factor motivating teachers to stay at their current school. With all this in mind, look for opportunities to develop teacher-mentor programs, cohorts for ongoing learning, and targeted support options that both help educators form and foster deeper staff connections. 

Edmentum offers a virtual service named Instructional Coaching that provides goal-oriented, district-aligned, and (perhaps most importantly) nonevaluative opportunities for educator growth and success. Our virtual Instructional Coaches, who are master teachers in their own right, partner with brick-and-mortar teachers to model best practices, observe instruction, analyze data, and lead reflective discussions. We can help close gaps with newer or emergency-credentialed teachers, help veteran teachers adapt or reconnect with their passion, and even help “new to you” teachers align with instructional expectations. 

2. Support teachers as they implement research-proven strategies

By now, we’ve all seen data that remind us that learning gaps persist far beyond the height of the pandemic. Importantly, though, a December 2023 article from District Administration looking at 2024 educational practices, cited evidence that strategies like high-dosage tutoring, summer school programs, and double-dose core class periods work. Add to those practices the cornerstone of elevating educational quality, which is strengthening the student-teacher relationship, and there is a recipe for successful academic recovery.  

But what happens when the new teachers in your building lack the experience to confidently deliver regular, targeted differentiation? Maybe they’re still grasping the core curriculum, scope and sequence expectations, and classroom management, and they haven’t yet built the skills to navigate students’ deepest off-grade-level needs and academic gaps. Or maybe your school building has dedicated systems and intervention time in place but not enough subject-matter experts to staff and support focused, small-group instruction? Whether either of these scenarios sounds familiar, it doesn’t have to mean game over. Consider how creative virtual staffing options can push in to your regular bell schedule and augment the grade-level instruction that students are already receiving.  

Edmentum offers a virtual intervention service called Targeted Skills Instruction. This customizable service is founded on high-impact best practices but is even more robust—combining our ESSA-aligned curricula, educator expertise, virtual learning space, and consultative support. Small-group sessions led by a qualified educator focus on students’ most essential academic needs and a combination of valid, reliable diagnostic assessments and progress monitoring guide each step of this data-driven instructional option. 

3. Add a teaching partner to alleviate the instructional load

Do the existing teachers in your district asked to teach more classes than ever before? Do your teachers often have a record-breaking student load as well? What if your educators’ expertise could be supplemented by a virtual teaching partner who covers specific class periods or elements of your curriculum, allowing your district staff time and space to show up for their students in all the ways that count. Consider how the use of technology and strong virtual teaching practices can help you stretch your existing staff further. 

Edmentum can help you in keeping students in the building while delivering virtual instruction aligned to your bell schedule. We call this service Enhanced Virtual Learning, and it leverages our EdOptions Academy state-certified teachers who utilize our award-winning digital curricula and the support of your own district staff to create a customized program for live, synchronous virtual instruction across a building or an entire district. 

Recently, the Mount Desert Islander published this story of one such implementation at Mount Desert Elementary School in Northeast Harbor, Maine. The school is utilizing a combination of live virtual sessions from Edmentum with in-person labs and field experiences led by a brick-and-mortar teacher to help 7th and 8th graders earn their science credit without sacrificing course quality. The school has leveraged its own staff where it counts and “borrowed” teaching support from Edmentum where it’s needed. 

4. Dial back extra work, including grading

A 2022 nationally representative survey from the EdWeek Research Center found that a typical teacher works a median of 54 hours per week. Just 46 percent of that time is spent teaching. The findings go on to show that teachers spend a median of five hours per week grading and providing feedback on student work. That time can quickly take its toll on teacher burnout throughout the academic year.  

Still, we know the value of immediate high-quality feedback on student learning. A 2023 Education Week article points to emerging research from several studies on developing quality feedback, which calls out the following:   

• Comments should be specific and include examples 
• Commentary should tie directly back to learning goals and assignment criteria 
• Feedback should speak to what students should do or think about going forward 
• A positive class culture around receiving feedback is essential 

It’s no surprise then that this level of feedback takes time and intentionality to do right. Rather than expecting your classroom teachers to carry the entire load, consider how Edmentum’s Grading Service can help. Maximize teacher talent and instructional time by utilizing Edmentum’s virtual Grading Assistants and their pedagogical expertise to lend teachers a second set of professional eyes and to provide high-quality, personalized, and specific feedback to students within 48 business hours. 

Our nation’s teaching workforce is experiencing tremendous change with more new teachers, alternative-certification teachers, and overtaxed teachers being pushed to their limits. It’s time to find creative solutions to help these professionals develop and grow without feeling overextended as they do it. Want to learn more about the capabilities of virtual instruction as an option for creative staffing? Check out our Virtual Instruction Toolkit.