Substitute teacher shortages and teacher pay are some of the most pressing issues in the education system today. Although the two problems are a result of a wide spread of different issues, they are mostly interconnected. The low pay rates of educators often affect the amount of substitute teachers.

The shortage of substitute teachers has become widespread across the country. Schools rely on substitutes to fill in for teachers when they are sick, hurt or on a leave of absence. With little to no support, schools are not able to provide the proper education, as they have no one to take the spot of the absent teacher. This is partially due to the pay of substitute teachers. In Pennsylvania, substitute teachers get paid an average of $762 a week; although, in Freedom, it is drastically lower. There are two permanent substitute teachers in Freedom: Ms. Kiley Miller and Ms. Candra Smith. With very little coverage, it is hard for Freedom to find a teacher who has the required qualifications to cover all of the classes. This causes more stress on substitute teachers than there needs to be, which may be a driving factor in the issues of keeping and hiring substitute teachers.

“I believe if there were more incentives in place for subs [substitute teachers], there would be more willingness to take over a substitute teacher position,” Miller said.

Another problem throughout the district is long-term coverage. Long-term substitute teachers are needed when a teacher takes a leave of absence. These long-term substitutes are essential because they are teaching core subjects for a long period of time while the teacher is out.  Without these substitutes, students are not learning the vital information that they need to pass the course. In Freedom, there is only one long-term substitute: Miller. Miller has been the only long-term substitute for a few years. She has covered Biology, Chemistry and Anatomy over the course of her employment. Due to the lack of substitutes, one substitute may be covering different classes throughout the entire school year instead of just one. The pay for long-term substitutes is not equivalent to the pay rate of the teacher they are covering for, although they are teaching the same content. Due to the difference in pay, it is hard for Freedom to hire these substitutes.

“I believe that long-term subs pay should be more comparable to the teacher they are filling in for, given that they are teaching the same content and given the same amount of work,” Miller said.

With few substitutes, other teachers are required to cover for absent teachers. When this happens, it requires two classes to combine into one, which usually results in overcrowded classrooms and loud,inefficient work areas, making it hard for students to focus and learn. This also results in a lack of material being taught.

“Although the overcrowded classrooms do not really bother me that much, I prefer to have a quiet work environment where I can focus on my schoolwork,” Mackenzie Mohrbacher (11) said.

The substitute teacher shortages across the district have affected teachers a great deal, but most importantly, it has affected the students. With substitute teacher pay at a relative low, the hiring rate and the ability to keep substitutes is at an all time low. Without the hiring of new substitutes, overcrowded classrooms, loud work environments and improper teaching or vital information will continue to become more prominent.