Getting Back to School Safely: Dealing With A Lack of Substitutes

Uncertainty has ruled the COVID pandemic.uncertainty with income, jobs, the future.

Now there’s uncertanty for schools if teachers get sick – and what will happen if there’s not a substitute to take over a class.

WITH KIDS HEADING BACK TO THECLASSROOM... THERE'S NEWUNCERTAINTYOVER SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS.AS DAN GROSSMAN TELLS US... IFTEACHERS GET SICK... SOMEDISTRICTS DON'T HAVEENOUGH SUBS TO TAKE OVER ACLASS.AS A MOTHER OF 4 KATHRYN BARRETTHAS FOUND HERSELF AT ACROSSROADS5:36 MOM "THERE'S JUST A LOT OFUNKNOWN RIGHT NOW FORSUBSTITUTES"ONE THAT PITS HER LOVE FOR HERCAREER AS A SUBSTITUTE TEACHERIN FLORIDA AGAINST THESAFETY OF HERSELF AND HER FAMILY4:43 "I LOVE MY JOB.

I KNOW ALOT OF SUBS SAY IT'S NOT WORTHIT TO GO BACK- WE MAKE JUSTABOVE MINIMUMWAGE."RIGHT NOW IT IS A CROSSROADSBEING NAVIGATED BY COUNTLESSSUBSTITUTE TEACHERSNATIONWIDE AS THEY TRY TO GETBACK INTO THE CLASSROOM AND ITHAS THE POTENTIAL TO WORSENA PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN GROWINGSINCE WELL BEFORE THE PANDEMIC13:20 "IT'S A MATHEMATICALCERTAINTY THAT WE'LL BE OPENINGUP SCHOOLS WITHOUT ENOUGHTEACHERS."NICOLA SOARESIS PRESIDENT OF KELLY EDUCATION-A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER RECRUITINGFIRM.IN THE MID-2000'S- THE GROUPSAYS 10 PERCENT OF INCOMINGCOLLEGE FRESHMEN WERE PURSUINGA DEGREE IN EDUCATION.

TODAY-THAT NUMBER HAD DROPPED BY MORETHAN HALF- TO 4 AND A HALFPERCENT.ADD IN THE FACT THAT MANYSUBSTITUTE TEACHERS ARE OLDERRETIREES- THEY MIGHT CHOOSE NOTTOCOME BACK BECAUSE OF THE HEALTHRISKS.IT'S ONE OF MANY REASONS WHYKELLY EDUCATION ESTIMATESTEACHER VACANCY RATES WILLINCREASE BY 50% AND THE NEED FORSUBS WILL RISE BY MORE THAN 70%.7:52 EXPERT "WE'VE BEEN WORKINGAROUND THE CLOCK ANTICIPATINGWHAT THAT DEMAND WAS GOINGTO BE.

AND I THINK EVERY SINGLESCHOOL DISTRICT IS GOING TOREQUIRE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS" TOINCENTIVIZE SUBS- STATES HAVEADJUSTED.

IN IOWA THE GOVERNORSUSPENDED THE LIMIT ONHOW LONG A SUB CAN TEACH ACERTAIN CLASS AND DECREASED THEMINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FROM 21TO 20- HOPING FURLOUGHED WORKERSOR RECENT GRADS MAY LOOK TOSUBBING AS AN ALTERNATIVE4:25 MOM "WHAT IF I GET SICK?

IDON'T HAVE ANY MEDICAL INSURANCETHROUGH KELLY SERVICES-SO WILL I BE ON MY OWN FOR 14DAYS WHILE I'M QUARANTINING?"ONLY MORE UNCERTAINTY THISMOTHER WEIGHS AND MANAGES AS SHEDECIDES THE FUTURE OF HERSELFAND FAMILYI'M DAN GROSSMAN REPORTINGAND JUST A REMINDER... FOX 47 ISAIRING A HALF HOUR SPECIALCALLED "SAFELY BACK TOSCHOOL" THIS TUESDAY AUGUST 4THAT SEVEN P-M