Subs & COVID-19: Five Things Schools and Districts Should Do Today

by | Mar 10, 2020

This week, we are thinking of our colleagues in HR and school offices across the country who are working hard to respond to the spread of COVID-19. We prepared this blog post to help leaders think through possible implications for substitute teaching and what you can do to strengthen your systems, including specific steps for both HR and school leadership teams.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Subs may be Scarce:  In most school systems, substitute teachers work when they want, where they want.  When everyone is worried about exposure to germs, it’s likely that some substitute teachers will decide to work less.
  • Subs may be at Higher Risk of Exposure:  Subs are more likely than other school staff to be in multiple environments during a work week– at different schools, different jobs, etc.– increasing their risk of exposure.   
  • Subs may be  Economically Vulnerable:  There has been news coverage about the increased risk for gig economy workers, who often don’t have health insurance and can’t afford not to work. Those same dynamics are at play for many substitute teachers.  

5 Things HR Can Do Today:

  1. Make a Communication Plan: In many school systems, subs are not included on employee email lists. Make sure you’ve got both email addresses and phone numbers for substitute teachers on file. Double check that you’ve got a way to get urgent messages to substitute teachers and a clear plan for who will send those messages.
  2. Get Directions Out to Subs:  If you haven’t already, send a message to subs to give them guidance about what to expect in the coming weeks.  Make sure to include specific directions about what to do if they think they’ve been exposed. It’s also critical that you let subs know how much you value their service and the important role they play at our schools; we need subs to keep showing up to work.
  3. Contingency Plan:  Most leadership teams are working on scenario-based contingency plans.  Be sure that these two scenarios are on that list: 1) A substitute teacher was exposed to covid-19 in the community and subsequently worked in one or more schools; 2) An individual school is closed because of a link to a case of covid-19, and substitutes who worked at that school are interested in continuing to sub at other district schools.  Plan for what direction you’ll give to subs in both of these scenarios (and importantly, who’s responsible for making sure it happens). Remember that in urban areas subs often work for multiple districts, so if a school or district closes, their subs might work in a neighboring district.
  4. Consider Assigning Subs to Schools:  To reduce the risk of exposure for everyone, now’s a time to consider assigning subs to work at specific schools.  This is a significant change to consider and would take planning to implement. If you do go down this path, we recommend beginning with volunteers, since subs value autonomy and control over where and when they work.
  5. Think Safety Net for Subs:  If you need to close schools or ask subs not to work, remember the significant economic impact that can have on your subs. Do the research to figure out what state and local support subs may be eligible for – in some states they are eligible for unemployment benefits, and many states are considering added support for workers impacted by covid-19.  Be prepared to provide subs any documentation they need to access these benefits. 

5 Things Principals Can Do Today:

  1. Check Your Supply of Emergency Sub Plans:  At this time of the year, many emergency sub plans have already been used.  Inventory the plans you have on hand and ask teachers to prepare additional plans if needed. 
  2. Plan for Fewer Subs:  Make sure you’ve got a solid plan for covering classes if you don’t get a substitute teacher.  Since we already have a nation-wide shortage of subs, many schools are already used to dealing with unstaffed classes.  But if you aren’t, it’s time to prepare.  
  3. Add Long-Term Subs to Your Staff Email List:  If you have long-term subs working at your school, make sure that they get any messages you send to your staff.  We’ve been surprised how many long-term subs report that they don’t get staff messages and feel left in the dark.  
  4. Reach Out to Your Short List:  If you have a list of substitute teachers who often work at your school, reach out to them to check-in.  Keep it simple, just let them know that your school is still in session and that you are taking precautions like extra cleaning, etc.  This personal touch helps subs feel more valued and can help encourage them to work at your school.  
  5. Appreciate Your Subs!  Finally, make sure that you are giving your subs extra attention when they are at your school.  Everyone is scared and it’s a big deal that subs are continuing to show up. Remember that substitute teachers don’t really have a team or a manager to help them feel part of your team.  

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Substantial Classrooms is a national nonprofit focused on improving substitute teaching. That means we know a lot about the systems and dynamics surrounding substitute teaching.  Need help thinking through these issues? Our experts are available for pro-bono 30-minute calls during the month of March. Book a call here.