School district in Colorado Springs is going beyond U.S. borders to address a teacher shortage [Video]

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) -Harrison School District 2 is using a J-1 Visa program to hire teachers from other countries, addressing a teacher shortage across schools in Colorado Springs.

“They’re not new to the profession, they’re just new to the culture. So the support and training we provide them is very different than what we might provide a brand new teacher,” said D2 Superintendent Dr. Wendy Birhanzel.

According to D2, they require teachers that have at least five years of teaching experience and a master’s in math, science, or special education.

School officials tell us this visa allows teachers from other countries to teach for up to 5 years in the United States. They say this school year, the school district is the most staffed it has been since before the COVID-19 pandemic, having 38 teachers hired through this program.

One teacher from the Philippines says this program has allowed …