Green Country School Districts Struggle To Find Substitute Teachers

Some Green Country school districts report that a lack of substitutes to fill the void of absent teachers is a big reason many classes are pivoting online. Schools are reporting the need for more substitutes to cover different sites.

Typically when a teacher calls out sick, schools can dip into its pool of substitutes, but COVID-19 is making things more difficult. Union, Jenks and Owasso all report administrators have been trying to help fill absences where they can to keep classrooms running.

In Jenks, the district says up to 25% of staff is out at schools that moved to distance learning this week. Union reports 175 teachers out, leading secondary schools to pivot.

A spokesperson for Bixby Public Schools says the lack of bus drivers is the reason the district temporarily shifted online. The common denominator with all districts is the lack of substitutes to call.

Some districts say the number of staff absences is historic and it extends to more than just teachers.

“We’re not even counting the number of aides, office staff and other things that are still out of buildings as well,” said Jay Loegering, the Director of Human Resources for Union Public Schools. “It makes it very difficult to try and keep the buildings open in these tough times and it’s changing literally by the hour every day.”

The districts say they are doing everything they can to keep kids learning in person and moving as quickly as possible to alert parents when things change. Many are actively searching for more substitutes.

For more information on opportunities to become a substitute, you can visit each school district’s respective website.