A substitute teacher shortage hurts schools, too. Here's what we're doing about it
Opinion: Like many schools in Arizona and across the nation, we were struggling to fill classrooms when our full-time teachers were out.
Like many schools, Pioneer Preparatory Academy in Maryvale has felt the impact of the substitute teacher shortage.
We’re a K-6 charter school with 640 students and 28 teachers. Approximately 95 percent of our students are Hispanic, and 98 percent qualify for free or reduced lunch. With our student demographics, it's important to have qualified substitutes when one of our teachers is out.
When we can’t find a substitute teacher, which had been an ongoing issue for us until recently, it forces us to pull in a paraprofessional from another class or disperse the students into other classes, which increases class sizes.
Why aren't there enough substitutes?
The substitute teacher shortage, both nationwide and in Arizona, puts schools in a bind. There are a few reasons for the shortage, including:
- Many substitute teachers do this as a temporary job. When the economy is doing well, these individuals often move into full-time jobs, which shrinks the pool of available subs. Right now, the economy is doing pretty well. The U.S. unemployment rate reached a 49-year low of 3.7 percent in November and was 3.8 percent in March.
- Substitute teacher pay varies depending on where they are teaching and how long they have been doing it. Typically in Arizona, the average pay for a substitute teacher is $106 per day, which is 7 percent below the national average. This may not be enough of an incentive for some people to substitute teach.
The shortage of substitute teachers is exacerbated by a shortage of regular teachers, both nationwide and in Arizona. The Learning Policy Institute estimated that during the 2015-16 school year, there was a shortage of about 60,000 teachers nationwide.
When schools have difficulty finding teachers, they lean more heavily on substitute teachers to fill the gaps. This puts more demand on the overall pool of available substitute teachers.
But with students spending roughly a full year of their academic careers with a substitute teacher, it is imperative that high-quality substitutes are available to ensure that student learning is moving forward when their regular teacher is out.
To address the challenge in finding substitute teachers, we used to work with a traditional staffing service, but we were constantly dealing with cancellations and unfilled spots.
Why training, standards are so critical
This year, we looked for a better solution and ultimately chose Swing Education, an on-demand marketplace for substitute teachers. The company has a web app that quickly connects schools with available, qualified substitute teachers, and it has significantly reduced our unfilled teacher absences.
Considering a non-traditional staffing solution was what we needed to ensure that our vacancies get filled.
But the challenge of getting sufficient substitute teacher coverage goes beyond just finding enough bodies to fill open spots. According to the Substitute Teacher Training Institute at Utah State University, unprofessional conduct is the top complaint about substitute teachers.
If a school has its own pool of substitute teachers, it should train them how to manage classrooms and how to conduct themselves in the classroom. If the school relies on an outside company for its substitute teachers like we do, it should make sure the company provides training and professional development, and holds subs accountable if they don’t show up or are unprofessional.
Keeping classrooms staffed with quality teachers – whether they are full-time teachers or substitutes – is a great way to support student success.
Jacki Stroup is associate director of Pioneer Preparatory School. Reach her at jacki.stroup@ppslions.org.