Overcoming the Struggles of Finding and Keeping Substitute Teachers

Overcoming the Struggles of Finding and Keeping Substitute Teachers

Paige TeBeest, Coordinator of Auxiliary Personnel, Amarillo ISD

On the flip side of what many districts are seeing in the Panhandle and West Texas areas, Amarillo ISD has seen a consistently high fill rate with our substitutes following the initial lull when the pandemic hit. During the TASPA West Texas Mini-Conference that was recently held in Lubbock, I had a chance to engage in conversations with attendees from Frenship, San Angelo, Ballinger, Burkburnett, Tulia, Hereford, and Plainview ISDs. We discussed fill rates for the districts for the 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22 school years. We also talked about the different opportunities that substitutes have available to them, recruitment efforts, and retention efforts. The districts ranged from fair to excellent fill rates prior to the pandemic, but all had their struggles immediately following the pandemic. Specifically speaking of Amarillo ISD, we had fill rates in the 80% range prior to the pandemic in the 2019-2020 school year. In the 2020-2021 school year, our fill rates were as low as 52% at one point. We were utilizing personnel from across the district to substitute teach. As a result of several initiatives being implemented, the fill rates have been consistently in the 90% range for the majority of the 2021-22 school year. There are several different types of substitute opportunities across the district. Being a substitute teacher with AISD required 45 college hours up until the Temporary Neighborhood Substitute position was created as a result of the drop in fill rates following the 2019-20 school year. The TemporaryNeighborhood Substitute position requires that an applicant have a high school diploma or the equivalent. There is a substitute position called Neighborhood Substitute Teacher that was put in place prior to the pandemic for a specific hard to fill high school campus, Palo Duro High School. This was the model for the Temporary Neighborhood Substitute position that allows substitutes with a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent to work across the entire district. AISD has partnerships with our local community college (Amarillo College) and our local universities (West TX A&M University and TX Tech University). Amarillo College Substitutes are required to be enrolled and have 30 completed college hours. WTAMU/TX Tech 2+1 Substitutes are required to be enrolled in the Classroom Management course on the education path with WTAMU and enrolled in the 2+1 program with TX Tech. Both Amarillo College and WTAMU/TX Tech 2+1 Substitutes receive the higher pay rate, equivalent to substitutes with a college degree. The district also has full-time substitute positions on several campuses across the district. These are called Pre-Assigned Substitutes. They work every day and are offered health benefits. Amarillo ISD has participated with several recruitment opportunities. We have met with students at WTAMU, who are enrolled in Classroom Management, and with students at Amarillo College, who are enrolled in Intro to Teaching and/or members of TEACH Club, to present and answer questions about substituting with AISD. These have been very positive and

Overcoming the Struggles of Finding and Keeping

effective partnerships. We have participated with the City of Amarillo Job Fair, the Amarillo College Marketing Event, the WTAMU Job Fair, virtual job fairs, and had an AISD Job Fair specific to the district needs. AISD has also used radio, social media, and the news to advertise open positions, including substitute teaching. Our recruitment efforts have been successful. Amarillo ISD values our substitutes and wants to retain them once they have been recruited and hired. Pay was increased by $50 per day this school year, 2021-22, for three years using ESSER funds. After that, pay will be reevaluated. Non-degreed substitutes make $132 per day and degreed substitutes make $137 per day. Amarillo College and WTAMU/ TX Tech 2+1 Substitutes make $137 per day. Substitutes are able to work up to 16 days in a calendar month. On the 14th and 15th day of the month that a substitute works, they receive an extra $25 each day. On the 16th day of the month that a substitute works, they receive an extra $50. All substitutes receive an extra $5 for working on Fridays. Using ESSER money over the next three years, substitutes will be eligible to earn an additional $2000 in pay. They will be paid an extra $500 for working 100 days in the 2021-22 school year, an extra $500 for working 100 days in the 2022-23 school year, and an extra $1000 for working 100 days in the 2023-24 school year. This is based on substitutes working all three years beginning in the 2021-22 school year. This year, we have implemented a Substitute of the Month. Each month, the Substitute of the Month is presented with a certificate and gift cards donated by local businesses. The Substitute of the Month is named and recognized through email distribution and Facebook. The recognition consists of a picture of the substitute, quotes from people who have worked with the substitute, and a quote from the substitute. This has been well received. Substitutes are offered the opportunity to attend training throughout the year over the following topics: technology, classroom management and instructional strategies, ESL and special education, safety, and mental health. Training is provided by staff members of the district. AISD also recognizes substitutes through a Substitute Appreciation Day that is held twice per school year. Campuses bring food, write notes, thank them in person for their service, and a variety of other creative ideas to celebrate substitutes on these two days. In conclusion, it is important that substitutes are recognized for being valued members of any school district they are a part of. We have all experienced what it is like when we are short substitutes and how valuable they are to our districts. Substitutes should be treated as valued members of the district, compensated for their time, recognized when they go above and beyond, and trained appropriately to work with our students. Our students are our top priority above all else and we want the best substitutes to be in the classrooms when our teachers must be gone. I leave you with some quotes of wisdom from some of our Substitutes of the Month: • “The kids, that’s why I do it,” says Larry. “I love teaching and I love kids and at this time in my life I get to do what I want to do, so this is what I am doing.” • Karen said that being a substitute is, “Taking care of someone’s children as if they are my own.” • Rebecca said that being a substitute, “Helps me get teaching experience, meet kids I love, and come up with new classroom ideas for when I have my own classroom.” • “I didn’t realize how emotionally invested I would become in the little kids and their lives.”

Laura said that substitute teaching in one word is

“rewarding.” • Massoud stated, “If I can set a good example of me that redirects even only one student to the right direction, I have accomplished everything.” • Kay said, “What a privilege it has been to get to be a tiny part of such an outstanding program! I am so grateful for the opportunity to get to sub here!”