Davis High suffers from substitute shortage following COVID-19 pandemic

EDITORIAL CARTOON: Schools are sometimes scrambling to find people to step in for absent teachers due to the widespread substitute shortage.

By Colette Quaas,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

With students and staff in and out of the classroom due to COVID-19, Davis High has faced a problem that schools nationwide face: the lack of substitute teachers.

“It’s been a known issue where on days that a lot of people will be absent (there is) a lot of trouble filling those positions with subs,” English teacher Anthony Vasquez said.

Vice Principal Chandra Wengler says that despite the shortage, DHS has still had an easier time finding substitutes than other sites in the district.

“Especially earlier when we were coming back from winter break and we were having a lot of absences from the COVID surge, I feel like other sites in our district had more challenges with substitutes than we did,” Wengler said.

The lack of substitute teachers is not just an issue in Davis; school districts nationwide have had a substitute teacher shortage since coming back in person.

Brandi Lutzker is in charge of handling the substitute teachers at DHS. Although the start of in person school led to a lack of substitute teachers, Lukzter notices more and more are coming back to work as the number of COVID-19 cases at DHS dwindles.

“It was kind of difficult during Omicron because a lot of substitutes were nervous, so they didn’t want to come in,” Lutzker said.

The biggest problem that DHS faces in finding substitutes is that the pay offered is not competitive with surrounding districts.

“A lot of the outlying areas, West Sacramento and Dixon, they pay more. They all have a higher rate of pay. So many of our substitutes are in all the systems so they go to different paces … and they also come here. So because our rate is lower, and we just increased it, we have a harder time,” Lutzker said.

One way that DHS works to overcome this struggle is by establishing relationships with substitutes.

“Brandi and I really focus on building positive relationships with our substitutes. We focus on making sure they know how grateful we are to have them working here and that they are welcome here. We share our contact information with them and tell them to text us. We try and shower them with support so they come back,” Wengler said.

Many substitute teachers are retired teachers who come back to make some extra money on the side. However, this has changed since COVID-19.

“Following COVID, a lot of the subs who were retired teachers who would usually come back to sub just retired completely and decided not to come back,” student teacher Yasmeen Amaad said.

With fewer substitutes than previous years, many teachers have been covering for their peers in their prep periods.

“There’s a handful of teachers who like to (sub during their prep periods) or try to be available to do it ,” Lutzker said.

There are also many full time substitutes who enjoy their work subbing for classes, even during the pandemic.

Marianne Hooper, a current sub within the Davis Joint Unified School District, thinks substitute teaching is the perfect job for her as it has flexible hours and pays well.

“Before I had children I taught 3rd grade and when I was looking for a part-time job that I could do that did not interfere with my kids, substituting was something that accommodated all my needs,” Hooper said.

Hooper says another benefit of being a substitute is that she feels appreciated every time she steps foot in a classroom.

“When I go to different schools, the staff is all really nice to me. One thing about being a substitute in a time where they are needed, you are appreciated for showing up to work. Every time I work in a classroom people always say thank you and I feel like I have a purpose helping out,” Hooper said.