The Secret Sauce of Virtual School Capacity

            

Adjusting teacher captivity in an online school is tricky. It is difficult to “see” when the classroom is “full.” However, schools can consider several factors. 

First, define all of the jobs a teacher is responsible for. Remember that teaching online and writing an online curriculum are two jobs and should be factored in as such. Then, define what “full time” would look like for each job. 

If teaching Algebra 1 on a certain platform is full-time, on its own, at 120 students, create a formula that factors the portion of full time that a teacher has in that category. Repeat for each category. Remember that the number of different jobs reduces a teacher’s efficiency. If teaching 120 students in Algebra is full time, teaching 80 students in 6 classes may be comparable. This will vary by school. Lastly, identify the sweet spot for teachers. 100% capacity would indicate a completely maxed out teacher and this is not an ideal place to live. 

We have identified 80% as the ideal spot for a teacher to operate. This allows for some time for flexibility and flux within a year. Once a teacher exceeds 80%, we begin to consider posting a job and interviewing candidates, knowing the teacher’s capacity will continue to grow as we move through that often tedious and slow process. Realize that the first year after a new teacher is added, two teachers may operate at 50%. This is necessary for growth. You may minimize this by combining two positions or hiring a part-time staff member, but this can negatively impact the candidate pool. 

Keep a catalog of tasks any staff member could do, such as additional tutoring, in order to fill a
schedule that is below the ideal cut-off. Finally, ensure teachers that this formula is meant to guide additions, but should not alone justify reductions. When a teacher falls below a minimum caseload, say 50%, start with a conversation about that teacher’s actual workload. Individual classes may justify this, such as AP courses or large numbers of SPED cases. Also consider: what is the cost of reducing a position to less than full-time? It may be better to retain a teacher through a brief slump if program growth is overall increasing. 

What strategies do you have for handling staffing capacity? Please share below.