French Immersion Teachers Face Visa Delays, School Struggles to Replace Them

0:00It's March 28, Kansas News Today starts now, AI-powered and ready. I'm Cory with the story. Teachers at Academy Lafayette, a French immersion charter school in Kansas City, are leaving their classrooms due to delays in H1B visa renewals. These experienced educators, who have worked in the United States for more than three years, come from Burundi and Cameroon. The hold-ups mean some won't return after the weekend, affecting two campuses. Finding replacements is tough, because few people qualify to teach French immersion in the United States. School leaders say these teachers provide high quality education to local students, and the visa issues create big gaps in staffing. Parents and students showed strong support on Friday at the Oak campus. Kids express sadness over losing their favorite teachers, while families hope for quick fixes to bring everyone back. School officials reached out to Senator Schmidt, Senator Hawley, and Congressman Cleaver for assistance, but haven't heard back yet. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed it got questions on the delays,

1:03though no answers have come through. As families weigh for resolutions, the school pushes forward with its mission, reminding us how visa backlogs can disrupt education right here at home.