More than 200 teachers at the North Carolina Virtual Public School will be laid off this fall due to a state law that requires them to take a temporary break in service. But North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson said he has reached out to the governor and lawmakers "to find a better solution."

In an email to NCVPS teachers Thursday, Johnson said the decision to put teachers on a semester-long break without pay "was determined by NCVPS with legal counsel from the State Board office and the Office of State Human Resources."

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"While I believe those involved were attempting to find a good solution, I was unfortunately not consulted on this issue. I am now aware and have already reached out to the governor’s office and the General Assembly to find a better solution," Johnson wrote.

Graham Wilson, a spokesman for the state superintendent, said 220 teachers will be affected if a solution is not found.

NCVPS leaders could have told teachers about the change in May but opted not to, according to Jill Warren Lucas, communications director for the N.C. Office of State Human Resources.

Lucas explained that Temporary Solutions, a state division that handles NCVPS' payroll, learned in May that the school "had not been complying with statute in managing its temporary personnel."

"Temporary Solutions reviewed this situation with [NCVPS] in May and restated the need to comply with statute in subsequent meetings and conversations," Lucas wrote. "[NCVPS] could have contacted impacted temporary employees in May. Instead, it made the decision to notify them now."

Temporary Solutions does not employ the school's teachers and has "no role in the school’s operation or business decisions," Lucas added. "Impacted employees should contact [NCVPS] for further direction."

In 2014, NCVPS was required to transition to a temporary employment service for processing of payroll and other human resources functions for temporary employees. As part of that, the school's teachers are required to take a mandatory 31-day break in service in order for the school and state HR office ​​​to comply with state law.

Teachers WRAL News spoke with said they have worked fall, spring and summer classes for years. They found out about the change on Tuesday, just a few weeks before the fall semester begins.

"As soon as I found out, I was like, well, what am I supposed to do now?" said teacher Melissa Barnhart. "That kind of notice, it's just crazy ... I feel like it is a kick in the teeth."

NCVPS leaders have referred all questions to the state Department of Public Instruction.