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Airdate: Wednesday, April 20, 2022
Substitute teachers are in short supply in school districts throughout the country. A recent national survey of schools found 75% of them say it’s become a challenge to find substitutes.
It’s gotten to a point where teachers in some schools are teaching two classes at once in two different subjects.
Substitutes are in such demand that they’re getting called by multiple districts to fill in.
The COVID pandemic is only one factor.
JR Godwin, Vice President of Business Affairs with Substitute Teacher Services, on Tuesday’s Smart Talk said, “this is not a new issue. Statistically from the Department of Education, we’ve seen a drop in the number of people going into education every single year.”
Godwin indicated many substitutes stayed home during the pandemic out of caution for their and their families’ health. Hybrid learning during the pandemic also meant full time teachers could teach from home so there wasn’t as much need for substitutes.
But now with most classes back in person, school districts need substitutes.
Districts have responded to the shortage by paying substitutes more money, in part because those working as substitutes can make as much if not more money in the private sector.
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