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HAZELWOOD — Hazelwood School District will soon become the fourth school district in the St. Louis area to hire teachers from abroad amid a national shortage. And they’re paying big to do so.

The Hazelwood Board of Education unanimously voted to work with recruiting agency Jobs Connect USA on Tuesday to bring teachers from foreign countries to the north St. Louis County district, with the district agreeing to pay for the teacher’s travel, visa processing fees and initial living expenses.

Normandy, St. Louis city, and Riverview Gardens school districts have recruited international teachers in the past two years with mixed results.

Some teachers who worked in those districts told the Post-Dispatch they arrived here with few resources, lacking the financial capability to support themselves while repaying Jobs Connect for its services. They faced difficulties in obtaining food, shelter and transportation at first. They also struggled to bond with and control their students while adjusting to local culture and the English language.

But teachers who work for Hazelwood can expect the school district to shoulder some of the biggest burdens that teachers encountered elsewhere.

Hazelwood agreed to cover much of the teachers’ expenses, including housing (Hazelwood will pay teacher’s rental deposits, one months’ rent, fees and utilities); the recruiting agency’s placement and application fees, visa processing fees, transportation to and from school, airline tickets, teacher certification fees and a $2,000 “living expenses relocation allowance� for food and household items.

The district also contracted with legal firm Teuth Keeney to counsel the district on immigration services and complete visa applications.

In all, Hazelwood anticipates it will pay between $18,050 to $24,855 per teacher — amounting to $722,000 to $994,200 for all 40 teachers.

The do not include salary and benefits costs. Teachers will receive compensation commensurate with that of teachers hired domestically. If the same holds true in Hazelwood as in other districts, several of the international teachers will hold advanced degrees, lodging themselves towards the top of Hazelwood’s salary schedule.

Hazelwood has in the past to address its need for teachers.

In August 2022, the district contracted with for-profit company Stride for virtual teachers to broadcast into classrooms and teach students remotely. Each teacher costs Hazelwood $93,500, plus $15,000 for “curriculum set up,� and $35,000-$51,000 for an aide to monitor classrooms, according to Hazelwood’s contract with Stride.

Stride teachers account for nearly 9% of Hazelwood’s high and middle school teachers, district records show, with teachers instructing students on math, science, Spanish and art from states away. Administrators previously said the district is working to cut down on virtual instructors.

The Post-Dispatch requested a roster of Hazelwood teacher vacancies, and according to a list provided through the records request, the district was looking to hire 50 teachers and aides as of early December.

Hazelwood School Board members approved the agreement with Jobs Connect with no discussion. The teachers will fill vacancies in secondary mathematics, science and Spanish.