University of Idaho students and faculty are working to mitigate a shortage of substitute teachers stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic in school districts across the state.
Idaho allows students with diplomas to serve as classified substitutes, though every district is different when it comes their respective requirements
“Some districts require a college degree, some of those have been more flexible recently or waive the requirement if they have our recommendation that a student is ready,” said Rebekka Boysen-Taylor, the Director of Field Placement.
While UI has historically allowed practicum students to serve as substitutes in local schools on an individual basis, updated guidelines implemented in the Fall 2021 semester made all practicum students eligible in response to the state’s substitute shortages.
Though this assistance is not an official program administered by UI or the College of Education, Boysen-Taylor said that faculty have encouraged education students who they feel are ready to serve in substitute roles or pursue student teaching while they are still in their academic programs.
Boysen-Taylor said that UI’s education students who have participated in substitute roles were uniquely qualified as they were “just a year or two out from certification if they sub while in our (academic) program.”
According to Boysen-Taylor, students generally start subbing as paraprofessionals, providing for a small number of students or assisting in lunchtime and recess activities. After receiving enough experience, UI students can step into a more involved role and substitute for a classroom teacher.
Elaine Huang, a former UI student, previously served as a student substitute role upon learning about the opportunity from her professor in the fall of 2020.
“I wasn’t doing it with the intention… to go towards a specific something,” Huang said. “For me it was just to get more classroom experience, especially with COVID and having to miss out from two semesters of not being in a classroom. I wanted to get every experience I could.”
Huang said that the process of becoming a substitute was relatively straightforward: students would reach out to local school districts, submit necessary paperwork, undergo a background check and be formally approved. An online platform was then used to sign up for available positions, many of which are paraprofessional positions.
“Depending on which school needs a para that day, you can go in for that full-day or a half-day,” Huang said. “It kind of works around your own schedule which is really nice.”
Huang said that she was able to serve as a student substitute while working around her practicum, which further provided her with professional experience.
Huang said that qualified students can serve at any school and any K-12 grade level to best align with their long-term career ambitions.
Jill Diamond, Principal of Potlatch Elementary School, said that UI students have provided and continue to provide their services for the school. Just Wednesday, a UI student stepped in for a physical education teacher who was absent for an athletic directing commitment.
“It’s really wonderful and lovely for us to have,” Diamond said. “Somebody that is really skilled in providing physical education, so that it’s not just a sub plan, but we can continue learning and also, he’s an athlete, so kids are pretty excited about that, too.”
While only a limited number of UI students and faculty have served at the elementary school due to the distance from Moscow, Diamond said the substitutes they’ve gotten have been greatly appreciated.
“I think that they have made a few policy changes, just temporarily, when we were having such a hard time finding substitutes in order to allow our student teachers to settle a bit more,” Diamond said. “This is something that we didn’t do as much as before COVID and gave us a little bit more flexibility.”
Diamond said that the elementary students are particularly enthusiastic when college students step in and substitute, an enthusiasm that seemed to be echoed by the UI substitutes.
“It’s great,” Huang said, reflecting on her time as a substitute. “I’ve truly enjoyed my time going through (as a substitute) … and I feel like I’m leaving college in a good spot to find a career that I’m going to enjoy.”
Royce McCandless can be reached at [email protected] or Twitter @roycem_news