Roanoke -- "In my school I have 3 people certified in chemistry, I have 4 people certified to teach biology, but I'm the only physics-certified person," said Kathy Jacquez, science department head at Fairmont High School.

It's examples like this one that point out the severity of the physics teacher shortage in West Virginia.

"We need to find ways of helping people who are already there, may have a teaching degree and would like to change fields, we need to find ways of offering the classes for them," Jacquez says.

And that's something Fairmont State University is working on. They've introduced an online physics program that will allow current teachers to complete a physics certification without ever having to leave their computer.

"There are people who would like to pick up a certification who are in-service teachers right now, but are quite remote from a location that would be convenient to attend college. And they work full time so it's hard to fit that into their schedule," says Erica Harvey, FSU's online physics program developer.

Although it's convenient, the program does have a problem; its cost. Kris Snyder is a general science teacher who was considering FSU's online physics program.

"I went to the session and the professor was very knowledgeable, but the college wanted me to pay the fee up front and I just couldn't come up with the undergrad fees," says Kris Snyder, a general science teacher.

Teachers say to really fix the physics teacher shortage, legislation needs to be passed to offset tuition costs. They say it's important for their students' education.

"We need to have trained teachers in the classroom with the students so they can have the benefit of hands-on experience as well as content," says Jacquez.