(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa Department of Education analysis shows there are statewide teacher shortages in over two dozen specialties, like world languages. The Algona School Board recently approved the use of an online learning program to teach upper-level high school Spanish courses for the next school year. Joe Carter is Algona’s superintendent.

“We have not been able to hire a high school Spanish teacher,” Carter said. “…We found some options that a number of the schools in the state, including some in the North Central Conference, are using. It’s Logra Learning.” The company is among the 14 private companies the state has approved as online content providers and the only one that focuses solely on teaching Spanish. It offers tutoring as well live Zoom sessions for students.

“It’s developed by licensed teachers who have taught Spanish in the classroom as well as taught Spanish online, so they’re very experienced at doing this,” Carter said. ” They have thousands of students who are part of their program currently.” Based on the per student cost, Carter estimates the company will bill the school district about 29-thousand dollars for online Spanish classes for just over 100 high school students.

“We certainly would prefer an in-person teacher for our kids,” Carter says. “We don’t have that option right now and I think this is the next best option.” Carter says the district advertised its opening for a high school Spanish teacher for quite some time — and had no applicants. The Iowa Department of Education’s list of teacher shortage areas shows there aren’t enough math, science, music and art teachers — and there’s even a shortage of P-E teachers.

According to a Texas company that offers online teaching options, there were over a thousand unfilled teaching slots in Iowa schools in the 2024-25 school year.