• 23 min
Episode 9: Solving Teacher Shortages with Live Virtual Instruction
Wake Up and Teach
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Imagine walking into a classroom and finding eager students, but no teacher to guide them. This is the reality facing many schools across the United States, where the teacher shortage has become one of the most pressing challenges in education. In a recent episode of Wake Up and Teach from Kelly Education, Nicola Soares sat down with Shaily Baranwal, Founder and Chairman of Elevate K-12, to explore an innovative solution that ensures every student has access to high-quality instruction, no matter where they live.
The Spark Behind Elevate K-12
For Baranwal, the journey began with a simple yet powerful observation: students thrive when they have access to great teachers. But in too many classrooms, especially in certain zip codes, that access simply doesn’t exist. Schools were often left with two unsatisfying choices: hire an underqualified substitute, or rely on video lessons that left students disengaged. Baranwal believed there had to be a better way.
Her solution was Elevate K-12, a platform that brings live, certified virtual teachers into classrooms. Unlike the remote learning many experienced during COVID-19, Elevate K-12’s model places students together in a physical classroom with an on-site coach, while a certified teacher leads instruction live via video. This hybrid approach combines the energy of in-person learning with the flexibility of virtual teaching, ensuring no student is left behind due to staffing shortages.
Understanding the Evolving Teacher Shortage
During the conversation, Baranwal emphasized that the teacher shortage is not a static issue, it’s evolving year after year. Before COVID-19, shortages were most pronounced in rural areas and under-resourced urban districts. But the pandemic introduced new challenges, including increased teacher attrition as educators sought more flexibility or left the profession altogether.
Today, retention is as much of a concern as recruitment. With fewer students pursuing education degrees, the pipeline of future educators is shrinking fast. Add to that the stress, administrative demands, and emotional burden many teachers face, and it’s clear why schools are struggling to keep classrooms staffed.
Beyond Just Teaching: The Need for Broader Support
One key insight Baranwal highlighted is that teachers are asked to do far more than teach. They are often expected to serve as counselors, mentors, and social workers, roles they may not feel fully prepared for. Traditional teacher training programs tend to focus on instructional skills, but today’s classrooms require much more.
This generational shift in expectations means that solutions to the teacher shortage can’t simply focus on adding more teachers, they must also provide better support systems. That’s where partnerships like the one between Kelly Education and Elevate K-12 come in. Kelly’s classroom coaches provide critical on-the-ground support, helping bridge the gap between live virtual instruction and the in-person needs of students.
Why Live Virtual Teaching Works
Skeptics may assume virtual teaching can’t match the engagement of an in-person classroom, but Elevate K-12 is proving otherwise. The difference lies in the design. Elevate’s teachers follow structured, interactive lesson models that include greetings, guided practice, and collaborative exercises. Technology isn’t used as a substitute for teaching, but as a tool to enhance connection and engagement.
Baranwal described Elevate K-12 as both a teaching company and a supply chain company. Much like Amazon ensures products reach the right customer at the right time, Elevate K-12 ensures that the right teacher is available when and where schools need them most, whether that’s a Spanish teacher in South Carolina or a math teacher in Illinois.
Feedback from schools has been strong, with quality audits, classroom coach feedback, and principal reviews helping Elevate continuously improve. The result is a system where students feel like they have a real teacher in the room, not just a face on a screen.
Looking Ahead: Innovation in Education
What does the future hold? Baranwal sees live virtual teaching as an essential piece of the staffing puzzle, though not the only solution. Nothing fully replaces the impact of an in-person teacher, but in districts where that’s not an option, live virtual instruction comes close. She also sees AI as a powerful tool to support, but not replace, teachers. From providing data insights that help educators personalize learning to enhancing productivity, AI will play a growing role in shaping the class.
A Call to Embrace Change
Baranwal closed with advice for school leaders: don’t be afraid to try something new. The challenges facing education won’t be solved by a single approach, but by a willingness to innovate and adapt. Live virtual teaching is one example of how embracing change can create better opportunities for students.
We hope you’ll listen to the full episode of Wake Up and Teach to hear even more valuable insights. And if you enjoy the conversation, please consider leaving us a rating or review. It helps us reach and support even more education professionals across the country. Together, let’s reimagine the future of education staffing.
Click here to listen to the entire episode of Wake Up And Teach, presented by Kelly Education.