LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There are more than 300 open teaching positions in Jefferson County Public Schools, and the district is looking far and wide to fill those roles.
"If you don't have teachers teaching, you don't have students learning," said John Marshall, chief Equity Officer at JCPS.
Inside of the teacher shortage, there's another shortage. More than half of JCPS students are minorities, but that figure is not represented in the districts teaching staff.
"We need minority teachers and teachers of color," said Marshall.
That's why JCPS is part of the Louisville Teacher Residency program. Through the program, hopeful educators complete a masters and a residency under a current JCPS teacher in one year.
Thirty-eight teachers graduated from the program on Thursday, 28 of them are people of color. Many are adults, who've changed career paths.
Graduate Zakiya Lacy left pharmaceutical sales to become the representation she never saw, "to be able to let my students see you can be a math teacher too."
Laurence Seay said raising his children inspired him to be an educator. He speaks Spanish, and plans to use that skill to connect with students.
"To have a teacher you can speak to in your own native tongue, is gonna be amazing," said Seay.
The district is even recruiting current students. Seniors in the teaching and learning pathway at Ballard High School signed a conditional letter of employment Thursday to teach in JCPS after they graduate college.
Senior Janae Allen hopes to return and teach at her high school.
"When I come back to JCPS I'll have a job, that job security is very special to me,” said Allen.
JCPS is also recruiting teachers from 1,800 miles away. District leaders are heading to Puerto Rico to recruit teachers back to Louisville.
After its first trip in 2017, 20 teachers joined the district
The district is recruiting in various ways, hoping to have a teacher in every classroom.
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