United States President Trump’s decision to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas is expected to hit major tech and finance firms the hardest. However,
its impact will extend far beyond corporate offices, as it can affect America's classrooms as well. Here the question arises: why and how? Most of the schools of rural America depend on foreign teachers to fill critical vacancies. In South Dakota, Rob Coverdale, superintendent of the K-12 Crow Creek Tribal School, knows this challenge firsthand. When he took over three years ago, 15 teaching positions were empty, and no applications were received from local people. Within nine months, Coverdale filled the vacancies with Filipino teachers who were brought in on H-1B visas. He told news agency AP, "We hired H-1B teachers because we simply didn’t have other applicants. They’re not taking jobs from Americans; they’re filling roles that otherwise would have remained empty.” What exactly is the matter? The new visa fee that was announced in September threatens to make such hires financially impossible for rural districts. Even though the fee targets employers who hire foreign workers over Americans, school leaders say it could worsen the teacher shortage. It is already a severe problem in small towns and isolated communities. Across the country, one in eight public school positions is either vacant or staffed by uncertified teachers. The schools in rural areas also face additional hurdles, including low salaries, limited housing options, and isolation. Stephan, the town where Crow Creek is located, is nearly an hour from the nearest Walmart or clothing store. “The more remote you are, the harder it is to find staff willing to come and serve your kids,” Coverdale told AP. Among his hires is Mary Joy Ponce-Torres, a Filipino teacher with 24 years of experience who now teaches history at Crow Creek. Adjusting to life in rural South Dakota was a challenge, but she said she enjoys the slower pace. “When I came here, I saw it was more like a rural area ... but maybe I was also looking for that same vibe, the same atmosphere where I can just take my time,” she told AP.
