Substitute teachers step in when teachers are absent to ensure that classes run, students are supervised, and that learning takes place. But when a teacher is absent and the sub list remains bare, the school’s well-oiled machine can grind to a halt. Teachers often forsake their prep periods to cover their colleagues’ classes, and in some situations, unrelated classes will even be combined — simply to supervise students.
Teacher absences are inevitable. Sickness, professional development, or personal responsibilities regularly call teachers away from their posts. As a child travels through kindergarten to twelfth grade, they will, on average, spend the total of one academic year taught by a substitute. In order to plan for these circumstances, some districts hold yearly substitute training programs or host their own online substitute training programs.
A substitute teacher (much less a high-quality substitute teacher) is difficult to find. A potential substitute teacher must have a flexible schedule, easy access to transportation, and a desire to serve. Substitute teaching can be an arduous task. Student behavior has been trending downwards, exacerbated through COVID. Additionally, teachers who find themselves suddenly called away may not have had time to complete lesson plans for the substitute to use. Turnover is high. A Red Rover national survey found that nearly half (43.6 percent) of substitute teachers are in their first year of substitute teaching. Ideally, a substitute teacher would either be a retired teacher, who can easily facilitate classroom learning, or a parent in the district, who is invested in the well-being of the community. That’s not always the case. Only 30 percent of substitute teachers are parents in the district, and 15 percent are retired teachers. Over half (51.5 percent) of substitute teachers are either college students or are working multiple part time jobs.
The relationships built in schools shape students’ character and perspectives. Those who choose to serve as substitute teachers lend a hand in the essential task of ensuring that Minnesota’s children have an involved, dedicated community that desires their good. Substitute teachers in the state report that, though occasionally daunting, the task is deeply worthwhile.
How new legislation might help sub shortages
While Minnesota has struggled to find adequate numbers of substitute teachers for years, COVID escalated the conflict into an ongoing crisis. The 2023 Minnesota Supply and Demand Report found that a majority of Minnesota school districts (89 percent) reported being “somewhat significantly” or “very significantly” impacted by substitute teacher shortages. Additionally, 94 percent believe the availability of substitute teachers is “somewhat” or “significantly” fewer than five years ago. Minnesota’s complex substitute licensing system created additional barriers to entry for potential substitutes.
To help with these shortages, Minnesota lawmakers recently passed a pathway to create an emergency substitute teaching license that was previously in pilot form in some districts. It allows potential substitutes to hold an associate’s degree, as opposed to the bachelor’s degree needed for a short-term sub license. If an applicant has been working for at least a year in the school district as a paraprofessional, then they may hold a high school diploma or equivalent. Additionally, districts have a heightened ability to pay substitutes as they see fit. (Substitutes in Minnesota can be paid $200 per day.)
This increase in flexibility has limits. A substitute teacher can only work for 10 consecutive school days in the same teaching assignment. Substitutes must also pass a background check, attend a substitute training program, and pay registration fees of $90.25.
Time will tell if this new licensure pathway will remove enough accessibility barriers to alleviate staffing concerns. In the meantime, progress must continue, and imaginative solutions must be found to attract and maintain substitute teachers. Some districts have created campaigns to recruit parents to serve as substitute teachers, and others have raised substitute pay.
As fifty percent of Minnesota’s population has an associate degree or higher, there is a plethora of potential candidates that could gain a substitute license. Serving as a substitute teacher benefits local schools and can be a personal asset in surprising ways. Those interested in serving can call their school district for more information or apply online for a license.
