Schools find ways to cope with substitute teacher shortage in age of coronavirus

Local schools are bracing for what could be a year filled with teacher vacancies as covid-19 potentially amplifies a yearslong substitute teacher shortage.

Districts scrambling to find day-to-day substitutes during a typical school year now might have to work twice as hard to retain those positions as fears of returning to the classroom cause early retirements or requests to be put on health leave.

“Even without the pandemic, school districts and career and technology centers within the county and across the commonwealth have struggled to secure and retain qualified day-to-day substitutes,” said Jason Conway, executive director of the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit. “The pandemic has intensified the struggle.”

Nearing the end of the first full month of school, there were 55 open substitute teacher positions listed on PA-­Educator.net, a website started by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit to aid in searching and applying for education jobs across the state. The site serves more than 200 Pennsylvania schools.

But the number of vacancies likely will continue to grow as more districts return to in-person classes and the autumn months bring the potential of increased covid-19 and flu cases.

“If we do get large covid outbreaks or large flu outbreaks, it could be an issue down the road,” said Mark DiRocco, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators.

Jeffrey Fuller, PASA president, said if districts do not have substitute teachers lined up, it could hinder a return to the classroom. Many districts are teaching through hybrid models, a mix of in-person and virtual learning, or through all-virtual methods to help curb the spread of coronavirus.

But several districts are starting to have preliminary discussions about making a full return to the classroom.

“My concern is that this will become even more of a problem when students return to our schools. … We cannot have students in our classrooms if we do not have teachers to provide the instruction,” Fuller said.

Renewed partnerships

According to PA-Educator.net, of the 55 vacancies, 15 came from districts in Alle­gheny County, including Woodland Hills, Riverview, Propel Charter Schools and others. While no substitute teacher positions were listed for districts in Westmoreland County this year, several reported struggling to fill those roles.

“As is the case with many other school districts across Pennsylvania, our district has found it challenging to fill all teacher vacancies in part due to the pandemic, as some substitute teachers may not be interested in working at this time,” said Norwin Area School District Superintendent Jeff Taylor.

District officials recruit substitute teachers via emergency certifications, or permits that are issued by the state Department of Education that allow individuals to serve in day-to-day or long-term substitute positions. During the 2018-19 school year, Norwin had 39 substitute teachers with emergency certifications, according to the education department.

More than 17,170 emergency permits were issued for day-to-day substitutes at districts across the state during that same period. That’s an increase of about 1,370 permits from the 2017-18 school year, data show.

Of those, more than 200 emergency certifications were issued to districts in Westmoreland County, with the highest amounts issued at Penn-Trafford with 50, Greater Latrobe with 36 and Franklin Regional with 24.

No emergency permits were issued at Hempfield during the 2018-19 school year. District leaders are utilizing a partnership with Saint Vincent College secured last year to ease daily teacher demands.

Through the partnership, students working on their master’s degree and who hold a bachelor’s in education can become substitutes at Hempfield in exchange for postgraduate tuition, said Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. This year, the program has supplied four substitutes to the district.

Officials also increased substitute pay rates to $120 after 30 days of work within the school year. Area districts typically pay substitutes between $90 and $105 per day.

We’re in the first three weeks of school, so I would say a sub shortage is a thing but it doesn’t seem overwhelming at this particular time,” said Laura Brodie, a history teacher at Hempfield Area High School.

In Allegheny County, more than 1,100 emergency certifications were issued during the 2018-19 school year. Pittsburgh Public Schools had the highest number, with 509 permits, followed by Penn Hills with 97, Woodland Hills with 81 and several districts hovering in the 30s, including North Allegheny, Moon and Montour.

Pine-Richland, which had nine emergency certifications during the 2018-19 school year, is utilizing a partnership with Kelly Educational Staffing to help fill substitute teacher positions, said spokeswoman Rachel Hathhorn.

“Knowing that covid was going to be a challenge and anticipating the need to fill spots due to adding virtual classes and/or in the event that staff members become sick, the district prepared by hiring a number of day-to-day instructional substitutes and two nurse substitutes to be ready for the start of the 2020-21 school year,” Hathhorn said.

Teaching methods

With school reopening plans left largely up to districts, the way students are learning varies among in-person instruction, virtual lessons and hybrid models. For substitute teachers traversing that changing landscape, several districts are offering training sessions to make for a smooth transition.

At Norwin, professional development opportunities are offered in online learning so teachers can “serve as a substitute in either a traditional, face-to-face environment, or in an online environment,” Taylor said, adding that district officials are open to feedback.

Similar measures are taken at Pine-Richland. According to Hathhorn, the superintendent and director of human resources meet with day-to-day substitutes to discuss hybrid programs and specific health and safety requirements for students and staff. Substitutes then work with building principals and other staffers.

Technology and curricular resource training sessions were also held for interested substitutes prior to the start of school.

“At present, I believe school districts are doing their best to manage the substitute shortage and thinking collaboratively during pandemic conditions,” Conway said. “It is during these times of crisis, where we need willing and qualifiable individuals to reach out and offer their services in becoming substitute teachers.”

Still, the uncertainty of the pandemic has some district leaders wondering about the future.

“You just never know,” said Janell Logue-Belden, superintendent of Deer Lakes School District. “We don’t know what’s going on with the pandemic, so everything’s kind of questionable, up in the air. We’re not worried now, but who knows? We’re not worried about a lot of things now that could change.”