BEAVERTON, Ore. — The substitute teacher shortage is impacting school districts across the country including the Portland metro area.
Like in many districts, the Beaverton School District has a huge need for substitute teachers. Now it's offering incentives to fill that need.
“My phone rings all the time,” said substitute teacher Mehreen Krueger.
Krueger was a full-time teacher 37 years before retiring from the Beaverton School District two years ago. After she retired, Krueger came back to the district working part time as a student success coach. When the position changed to full time, she declined.
Now she's back in the classroom working as a substitute.
“The pandemic kind of spurred me to try to give back in some way,” Krueger said.
Todd and Brenda Frimoth are both retired teachers who also made the choice to substitute. They said if they wanted to, they could work every day.
“[The district is] asking all the time,” said Todd Frimoth.
"We desperately need substitute teachers"
Shellie Bailey-Shah, spokesperson for the Beaverton School District, said the district is offering bonuses ranging from $500 to $3,300, depending on the number of days worked, for substitute teachers at all grade levels.
In addition, Bailey-Shah said the district has raised the daily pay rate for substitute teachers from $195 to $230 — an increase of about 18%.
“Money does talk, even for educators who are passionate about kids. It's nice to see that commitment on the district side,” said Todd Frimoth.
Bailey-Shah said this kind of incentive hasn’t been done in recent memory and it speaks to the huge need in the district.
Kinds of substitute teachers needed
She said there are three main groups of substitute positions available: open substitutes, deployable substitutes and quarantine substitutes.
The district needs between 250-300 open or "at-will" substitutes who might be available a day here and there.
Deployable substitutes would have a year-long contract and would be teaching in school every day. The district needs about 20 of them.
Bailey-Shah said another 20 quarantine substitutes are needed for virtual teaching. These substitutes would be on 10-day assignments supporting students in quarantine.
Part of the reason for the substitute shortage: hesitancy amid the pandemic
The reason for the substitute shortage, Bailey-Shah said, is there was a lot of hiring over the summer which depleted the substitute pool. She said there’s also been hesitancy among retired teachers to come back during the pandemic. But Bailey-Shah said the district has safety protocols in place.
“We have about 1% of our students who are either COVID positive or quarantined right now and four employees that are impacted by COVID out of a pool of 4,600,” said Bailey-Shah.
Brenda Frimoth said she understands the hesitancy. Part of the reason she and her husband retired was so they could help their parents, who are in their 90s.
“It was a pretty big decision to go back [to teaching],” said Brenda.
“I had quit masking with my parents and I’m masking again with them.”
But she said being vaccinated and observing students wearing masks has helped her feel more comfortable.
“I mean we were teachers because we love kids and we love education […] last year was such a tough year so we really want to be a part of, I guess, kids being able to have a great year,” said Brenda.
Krueger feels similarly. She said for her, it’s not about the extra money.
“It’s purposeful, meaningful work,” Krueger said.
“I do it as a service, but more to be with the kids. They keep me young.”
Both she and the Frimoths returned to be substitutes before incentives were announced and said they hope others decide to substitute teach.
Interested in substitute teaching?
Bailey-Shah said at this point, those who are interested in applying to be a substitute teacher in the Beaverton School District don’t need to have a teaching license, but rather a bachelor’s degree in any field. Once hired by the district, it will sponsor the applicant for a Restricted Teaching License.
There have also been new developments at the state level to help school districts with the substitute teacher shortage.
The Teacher Standards and Practices Commission also recently introduced a new license type called the emergency substitute teaching license. It was created in response to the shortage of substitutes.
Unlike the restricted teaching license, it does not require a bachelor’s degree. It is a temporary license, lasting only six months, and those who hold it can only work in their sponsor district. The new license will only be available until March 31, 2022. At that point, the TSPC will review whether the new license should be a permanent option for school districts. Bailey-Shah said the district is still working out the details of the emergency substitute teaching license.