Substitute teachers scarce

Schools often combine classes; discipline problems increase

With the economy improving, South Florida is short on substitute teachers. School districts are considering remedies such as raising pay, recruiting a wider range of people and getting retired teachers to sub.

It’s not just teachers leaving South Florida’s classrooms. Substitutes also are getting scarce.

An improving economy has hit hard in Broward, where nearly one in five classes with an absent teacher had nobody to take over the class. It’s prompting the district to consider remedies such as raising pay, recruiting a wider range of people and enticing more retired teachers to sub.

Miami-Dade County has faced a similar shortage for several years now. The situation is better in Palm Beach County, where about 6 percent of classes that need subs don’t get them.

“We’re having a problem getting subs. A lot of substitutes have certain schools they will not go to,” said Terry Lopez Preuss, a vice president with the Broward Teachers Union. “Teachers and administrators are left trying to figure out how in the world are we going to cover these classes, so the kids are safe.”

As a result, a class of 20 students may get divvied up, so that four teachers have to take five extra students each. Schools often combine classes and move them to larger areas, such as gyms and libraries. Administrators and literacy coaches have to give up their normal duties to serve as substitute teaches. And teachers are

being asked to work during their planning periods to cover the classes of absent teachers.

The shortage has led to increased discipline problems and a disruption in routines, which can hurt students academically, district officials said.

The problem has gotten worse in Broward County in recent years. Three years ago, 7.5 percent of classes that needed subs didn’t have them. That increased to almost 20 percent last year. So far, this year, it’s about 18 percent, said Sue Rockelman, a district human resources administrator.

One factor is that fewer people need jobs. The unemployment rate has fallen to below 4 percent in Broward County.

“When the unemployment rate is down, it’s more challenging to find people interested in temporary work,” Rockelman said.

Rockelman said the number of substitute teachers hasn’t dropped dramatically, but they’ve been working fewer hours. At the same time, requests for subs have increased 22 percent in the past three years. Rockelman said teacher training opportunities have increased, possibly causing more absences in schools. She said the district is studying other reasons teachers may be out.

Although Broward, like most districts, has faced a teacher shortage in recent years, Rockelman said she doesn’t see that as a major factor in the substitute shortage. She said the district has been quick to fill open jobs and has fewer than 100 vacancies.

In Palm Beach County, the number of classes without needed subs has hovered around 5 or 6 percent, meaning they occasionally have to combine classes or get administrators to fill in.

“There’s a shortage that happens from time to time, usually close to holidays,” said Justin Katz, president of the Palm Beach Classroom Teachers Association. “Sometimes on Fridays, there may not be enough because teachers are more likely to take off that day and subs often don’t want to work Fridays. But I don’t believe there’s any kind of systemic shortage.”

In Palm Beach County, the problem may not be as bad because the pay is better.

Broward pays $11.27 an hour for subs, regardless of whether they have an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s. In Palm Beach County, subs get $13.39 an hour if they have bachelor’s degrees and $11.59 for associate’s degrees. MiamiDade County pays $12.93 an hour for subs with bachelor’s degrees $9.47 for those with associates.

Vickie Bumar, of Pembroke Pines, has been substituting in Broward County since 2002. She said her pay then was $10.67 an hour, and a decade and a half later, it’s only increased by 60 cents an hour.

“There’s something wrong there,” Bumar said. “People are getting salary increases in the district, but not so much the substitute teachers. I want to keep substituting. I love the kids. But it’s getting a little discouraging.”

Rockelman said substitute pay hasn’t increased in nine years.

“In Florida, public school funding is not at the level is should be, and a small amount of funding can only be split so many ways,” she said.