Pandemic puts substitute teachers in short supply State responds by relaxing authorizations required

MT. PLEASANT - With the coronavirus pandemic has come some unexpected challenges. Local school districts that often pull from an aging substitute teacher population, many of whom are not willing or able to get out of the house and risk exposure to the deadly disease, are now facing a major shortage of substitute teachers.

The lack of qualified substitutes has led districts to scramble to cover the difference, adopting alternative methods for teacher absences. New London District Superintendent Chad Wahls said New London has planned for the occasion. Their plan requires building administrators and other support staff to step in and teach in the case of a major shortage. Wahls emphasized that the shortage is not a matter of if but when for many small districts.

'We have not been short so far, but we have been maximized on the number of subs we needed in a day and were able to get. We have not been challenged just yet, but it's not if, it's when we will be challenged,” Wahls said.

The major decrease in qualified substitute teachers has led many states, including Iowa, to lower their standards and adjust regulations on qualifications. Over the summer, the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners expanded who can be a substitute in districts around the state. This expansion has allowed someone with a bachelor's degree or a paraeducator with a substitute teacher authorization to sub at all levels for extended periods of time.

This new ruling allowed many districts to drastically expand their substitute teacher pool, allowing them to compensate for losing many older subs. Mt. Pleasant Schools has recently taken advantage of the new ruling and paid for 20 paraeducators to receive substitute teaching authorization training.

'Finding high-quality substitute teachers has always been an issue, but it's more difficult with COVID because more people are less interested in getting out, and are concerned about COVID,” John Henriksen, Mt. Pleasant superintendent, said.

Since many districts are struggling with substitute shortages, pay has become more and more competitive. To respond to this, Mt. Pleasant Schools has recently increased its substitute pay, becoming the region's leader in pay, in an effort to become more attractive.

Heather Gooden, a long-term substitute at Mt. Pleasant High School, took advantage of the new ruling allowing her to use her degree in history to substitute for Scott Stribe who is currently deployed in Kosovo. She was a level three paraeducator in the special education department at the school last year, which allowed her to teach under the new ruling.

'I had a history degree that I wasn't using, and since there was a big shortage they opened [substitute authorizations] up, and [high school principal] Mr. Liechty asked me and I accepted,” Gooden said.

This change in the ruling has lengthened the amount of time substitutes can serve in one classroom. Previously, substitute teachers would only be able to teach in a classroom for five days straight. However, if a teacher were to test positive and have to quarantine for two weeks, substitutes can continue through the quarantine period to provide consistency.

'It provides more consistency and clarity to the classroom and the students,” Wahls said.