Near the beginning of this school year, West Point High School lost their Algebra II teacher to a family emergency.
Principal Temeka Shannon said there wasn’t much time to hire a replacement, but the school did have an opportunity to try a different solution through the REACH MS program, a collaboration between the Mississippi Department of Education and Mississippi Public Broadcasting.
Funded by a $2.2 million legislative appropriation, the program pairs school districts struggling to staff core subjects with a virtual teacher. At WPHS, that means the nearly 50 students in need of their Algebra II credit now have access to daily, high-quality instruction through a virtual teacher, as well as an academic coach to work with students offline.
“It’s been very helpful because the class is taught by a certified teacher,” Shannon told The Dispatch on Thursday. “The teacher has a specialty area, so it’s much better than having a sub in the classroom who may not know that content area.”
West Point was selected for the pilot stage of the program after an extensive application process evaluating the school’s need, technological capacity and ability to support students in need of special services.
Students spend their class watching lessons from the virtual teacher, which is supplemented with assistance from a class facilitator, an academic coach and often an administrator in the classroom to ensure students stay on track.
The school is still looking to fill its Algebra II teaching position, but Shannon said access to the virtual program has been a gamechanger when it comes to educating students in the meantime.
“It’s been a great experience for us at West Point, especially since we’re able to provide afterschool tutoring to those students if they need more support,” she said.
A MDE survey of public school districts conducted last year found there are nearly 3,000 teacher vacancies across the state, 189 more than the year before. Nationally, about 1 of every 8 teaching positions last year were either unfilled or filled by uncertified teachers, according to the Learning Policy Institute, which conducts independent research to improve education policy.
MS REACH aims to mitigate the impacts of not having enough teachers to fill classrooms. It’s one of several initiatives implemented by the State Legislature during the 2025 session to address the shortage, along with MDE awarding $2.9 million grants to nine institutions of higher education to fund tuition and expenses for future teachers through the Mississippi Teacher Residency program.
Of the $2.9 million, Mississippi University for Women received $140,000 that will support 10 teacher candidates. Mississippi State University received $1,298,981 to support 102 candidates at the university’s Meridian campus.
Kelly Ballard, associate professor and chair of the MUW Department of Education, told The Dispatch the grant is “truly transformational” for teacher preparation at The W.
“It will allow us to remove major financial barriers for our elementary education teacher candidates as they complete their internship semester, covering tuition, licensure exams, technology and essential tools for success,” Ballard said.
‘Strengthening both the quantity and quality’
The two-year teacher residency program combines coursework with a yearlong paid residency in a school district with a critical teacher shortage.
By the time the residency is complete, candidates earn a master of arts degree in teaching and are eligible for a Mississippi teaching license. They must also commit to serving two years in a critical need district.
“They start day one, taking classes also working in a classroom under the supervision of a mentor teacher,” Kimberly Hall, professor and associate dean at MSU Meridian, told The Dispatch. “What they are learning in the classroom at the university, they’re able to apply it right now.”
In those classrooms, the candidates are paired directly with mentor teachers, who Hall said are “critical” for providing a strong example for the candidates.
The grants also provide funding for licensure exam vouchers, test preparation materials, technology and further professional development opportunities once they finish the program.
“It strengthens every layer of our program, from preparation to induction and ensures our candidates are supported not only through graduation, but into their first years as professional educators,” Ballard said.
Hall said the funding is especially helpful for students in the program, which specifically targets candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree outside of education.
“Now (they) want to go back and become a teacher, and they just simply don’t have the funds,” Hall told The Dispatch. “They’re working … but they’re just not making enough to be able to invest in the cost of attending the university and getting that license.”
Ballard believes the program is a step in the right direction when it comes to improving the state’s recruitment and retention efforts. When the state invests in programs like this, she said, it creates a ripple effect that strengthens communities and supports families by ensuring each child has access to a well-prepared teacher.
“We’re strengthening both the quantity and quality of Mississippi’s teacher workforce,” Ballard said. “These residents will enter the field prepared, licensed and already connected to local school districts in critical-need areas. The long-term impact is a stronger pipeline and greater stability for Mississippi schools.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 47 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 47 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
