Cajon Valley Union School District (CVUSD) is located in the southern California city of El Cajon, near San Diego. Pioneering superintendent Dr. David Miyashiro and his staff have spearheaded a number of transformational initiatives across the district that serves 18,000 students across 26 schools. As a result of their efforts, CVUSD has been accepted into the League of Innovative School Districts and recognized by Digital Promise and the U.S. Department of Education as a National Model of Excellence and Innovation.

The problem

At a time when teacher retention is at an all-time low, providing staff with the benefits they deserve is critical to FTE retention. Like many school districts, Cajon Valley USD encountered difficulties in meeting day-to-day substitute teacher needs. With limited capacity to manage substitute teacher assignments, Cajon Valley had to restrict teachers from attending essential professional learning opportunities, hindering their professional growth.

“Although we have a committed department with hundreds of hired substitute teachers, our district is quite large, so on any given day we have hundreds of people out for absences,” says Amanda Silva, Personnel Director at Cajon Valley USD.  “With all the absences, we needed a partner so we could give our teachers the benefits they deserve.” 

How Swing helps

Recognizing the need for a more sustainable solution, CVUSD turned to Swing Education to be a partner. With a large and diverse sub pool that doesn’t overlap with the district’s pre-existing community, Swing Education has provided extra support for CVUSD to ensure they have sufficient coverage for teacher absences, alleviating the strain on internal systems. 

“The people in our districts who are using Swing have their hands full with a million other things all the time. Luckily, Swing is super easy to interface with — we can get the sub coverage we need with a few simple clicks,” Silva said. “Swing helps us create a larger reach to source substitute teachers when we need them most. We have access to a whole new pool of high-quality subs who wouldn’t necessarily have known about us before.”

Although CVUSD initially partnered with Swing to cover PD needs in 2018, the partnership has expanded beyond the initial scope. In the 2023-2024 school year CVUSD has also used Swing for last minute and SPED requests.

Results

With nearly 8,000 filled days and an overall fill rate of 89% in the last year, CVUSD has been able to successfully address its substitute teacher staffing challenges and ensure continuity in classroom instruction with Swing Education.

“Most teachers have no idea that Swing Subs aren’t our full time employees because they’ve become such a huge part of the school and culture,” Silva said. “Our teachers are always trying to get more Swing Subs to the school. They really appreciate them and have been able to build incredibly strong relationships with them.”

The quality of the subs and increased fill rates have had a profound impact on teachers within the district. Previously, teacher absences often resulted in disruptions to instructional continuity, with classes left uncovered or managed by non-specialized staff members. This situation placed additional stress on teachers and compromised the quality of learning experiences for students.

However, thanks to Swing Education’s support and the district’s excellent sub management practices, CVUSD has been able to secure substitute teachers promptly, minimizing disruptions and maintaining a stable learning environment for students. 

“Swing is always incredibly responsive,” Silva said. “Our dedicated Swing Customer Success Manager is fantastic. She makes me forget that she has work to do for other districts because she is so attentive and responsive to our needs. We absolutely love her!” 

Teachers can now take necessary absences with confidence, knowing that their classes will be adequately covered by qualified substitutes. This assurance allows educators to prioritize their well-being, attend professional development opportunities, and address personal needs without worrying about the impact on their students’ learning. With fewer disruptions and smoother transitions during teacher absences, educators can focus their energy on delivering high-quality instruction and supporting student growth.