Birmingham Schools Weigh $606K Remote Teacher Contract

The district is considering a Proximity Learning contract to fill eight vacant teaching positions at five schools.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Remote Work

Birmingham Schools Weigh $606K Remote Teacher Contract

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Birmingham City Schools is considering spending $606,495.60 in state funds on remote teacher instruction through Proximity Learning. The proposal would place certified teachers in eight vacant positions at five schools, with long-term substitutes serving as classroom facilitators.

Why it matters

The plan is intended to address specific teacher vacancies while the district continues recruiting through Teach for America, which is expected to fill about eight additional positions. Principals asked to use the service for particular vacancies, and the district is not yet at capacity with its recruitment effort.

The proposed contract totals $606,495.60 in state funds covering teacher salaries, setup, training and support for eight vacant positions across five schools. Outcome measures from the earlier Putnam pilot were not presented, so the cost-effectiveness of the approach remains unverified.

The players

Birmingham City Schools

The Birmingham, Alabama public school district responsible for the schools and vacancies involved in the proposal.

Proximity Learning

A provider of live online instruction whose service would be delivered in the proposed Birmingham classrooms.

Teach for America

A national teacher-recruitment organization the district is working with to fill about eight additional positions.

The details

Proximity Learning would deliver live online instruction in the proposed classrooms, including a second-grade class at Oliver Elementary, English language arts positions at Hudson and Washington K-8, and French, Spanish, social studies and science positions at Phillips and Huffman High School. The district first piloted the model at W.E. Putnam Middle School last year in one classroom after a teacher was out sick for an extended period.

Last year: Putnam Middle School classroom pilot of Proximity Learning begins.
Oct. 27: Proximity Learning presents the proposal at a board work session.

Remote Work

The proposal follows the remote-instruction model that the presentation compared against Memphis-Shelby County Schools, extending it to fill teacher vacancies in Birmingham classrooms. Whether it performs comparably remains to be shown, since no Putnam pilot results were offered.

Families in the five affected schools would see live online instruction in place of a certified in-person teacher for the affected classes if the contract is approved. The district's use of state funds means the cost is borne by public budgets rather than individual households.

The takeaway

Remote instruction can keep classes staffed during vacancies, but a district weighing a $606,495.60 commitment should look for measured results before expanding it. The Putnam pilot's outcomes are the key missing piece for judging whether this model is worth funding.