Ohio school staff working multiple jobs to cover substitute teacher, bus driver positions

PORTAGE COUNTY, Ohio (WJW) – Substitute teacher and bus driver shortages continues to plague schools.

At Crestwood Local Schools in Portage County, the superintendent said some employees are filling in on multiple jobs, including covering bus routes when needed.

“We have to cut routes and have our secretaries and mechanics pick up the routes when we can’t fill them,” said superintendent David Toth. “We have some custodians that have their CDLs (commercial driver’s license) that have picked up the slack. It’s kind of all hands-on deck. It’s been a challenge and I think it’s going to continue to be a challenge.”

Toth said they’re often short two or three bus drivers every day and face a similar issue in the classroom. The problem led to at least one school closure due to staffing.

“Everyday we’re on a watch where if we can’t get enough substitute teachers, we can’t cover it in house, we’re going to have to shut that school down so that’s the challenge and it’s nerve-racking every day,” said Toth. “I don’t see that getting better even if the pandemic ends.”

To help with the crisis this school year, Ohio offered a temporary substitute teaching license with no bachelor’s degree required to substitute teach. According to an Ohio Department of Education spokesperson, as of December 2021, there were 1,170 non-bachelor substitute licenses.

“The legislature passed a law where you could hire people with high school degrees and we can’t even find people that way,” said Toth.

Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association representing 120,000 educators across the state, said changing standards is not a solution.

“It is only a band-aid and lowering standards for entering the profession is certainty not a way to support student learning and student success in the long run,” said DiMauro.

Educators say a declining number of people are entering the teaching career field due in part to wages, support systems and working conditions.

At Crestwood schools, the daily rate paid to substitute teachers, according to Toth, is $100 per day. After the first 10 days, it increases to $110. Toth said the wages are competitive for the area and he is considering working to raise the pay again next year.

DiMauro said some districts are having success finding substitute teachers to fill in on a more routine basis by embracing a less traditional model.

“Districts that are really having success in addressing the substitute shortage are entering into longer term contracts with substitute teachers,” said DiMauro. “They’re saying we will guarantee you an assignment every single day and, in fact, we’ll assign you to the same building.”

Toth said the district’s fill rate on any given day is about 50%. The other 50% is covered in house with principals and teachers working to fill the gap.