Virtual Learning as a High-Schooler During the Pandemic
Back home, a red and black sharpied piece of paper reading “10th Sarai: Virtual Classes at GECHS” still hangs above my desk. It was my mom’s makeshift photo prop that she made me pose with at 8 AM back in August of 2020 to remember the first day of what would become a fully online […]
H-1B Teacher Challenges and Virtual Solutions
When H-1B Challenges Disrupt Teacher Pipelines, Districts Are Turning to Virtual Live Teachers School districts across the country are navigating yet another layer of complexity in an already challenging hiring landscape. Potential disruptions to H-1B visa programs are creating uncertainty for districts that rely on international educators to staff critical subject areas. STEM, bilingual […]
A Look Into Teacher Unions Across the United States
Organized labor has long been a practice in the United States, with some of the largest unions belonging to the educational sector. Teacher unions serve as a bargaining platform to elevate teachers’ voices and protect their rights as educators. As a team of educators, we know that teaching is no easy feat. There is only […]
Reflecting on 50 Years of IDEA in the United States
November marked the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA is the federal special education law in the United States that grants a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities. Children under IDEA have the right to services designed to meet their individual needs. Today, schools across the country […]
#TeachersServeToo Reminds Us To Go Above and Beyond For Teachers
When Evan Erdberg, founder and president of Proximity Learning, posed the question, “Where are all of the teachers?” 15 years ago, he received an answer that has stayed true to this day: schools cannot find the certified teachers they need. The teacher shortage has been a challenge for as long as education leaders can remember. […]
Building Successful Virtual Schools With Proximity Learning
School districts across Texas are ready to open their own full-time virtual schools after the passage of Texas Senate Bill 569 back in August. SB 569 legally permits an easier transition to different modes of virtual education for schools looking to extend their accessibility online. SB 569 allows Texas school systems to offer virtual and […]
Why Is The U.S. Education System Failing?
Published: June 2019 Updated: January 2026 Why Is the American Education System Failing? In 2019, teacher walkouts and protests dominated the K-12 education sphere, bringing deeply embedded and longstanding disinvestment issues to light. Since 2020, the mass teacher exodus has shown that burnt-out teachers understand they bring value to other industries and will be compensated […]
Proximity Learning’s 2025 Year in Review
As 2025 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on all the progress Proximity Learning has made in ensuring that students are connected with the expert educators they deserve. With the help of a dedicated team, innovative schools, and our hardworking online school teachers, students all over the nation are receiving a high-quality education in spite […]
For Educators, By Educators Highlight: Pamela Gatlin
For Pamela Gatlin, Director of Client Success at Proximity Learning, everything comes back to teaching. “I’m not only a former classroom teacher,” she said. “I’m a former Proximity Learning teacher, too. That experience gives me a perspective that shapes how I lead and how my team supports our partners.” Pam taught Math for 8 […]
After ESSER: How Schools Are Coping with Layoffs and Why a Virtual Learning Environment Is the Solution
The ESSER funding well has officially run dry, and schools are feeling the fallout. The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, which helped schools weather the worst of the pandemic, have officially expired. For many districts, those dollars were lifelines—allowing for raises, new positions, instructional coaches, interventionists, tech upgrades, and expanded special education […]
