Substitutes

It might be because of the inconsistent schedule of teaching...Or it could be the poor pay..whatever the reason.. substitute teachers are hard to come by.

.In Bill Ratliff's "Assignment: Education" we find out what happens when there's a shortage of substitutes.

Lakeland Highlands Middle School's Assistant Principal Ann Tankson is scrambling this morning to cover classes that don't have substitute teachers.

-- [Ann Tankson says:] "Mrs Keeley Murphy's first period class report to the media center..The rest of the classes report to the lab."--

This is the fourth day this week classes haven't had substitutes to fill in when teachers are out.

--[Tankson says:] "Well today we had 10 people out...Eight covered two uncovered."-

When substitutes aren't available...Tankson says it effects more than just one class.

--[Tankson says:] "However it does effect everybody. And of course those people you are pulling. If you pull a teacher, then that teacher loses that planning period. So when you pull that para then you are affecting those students and the media specialist. There are media services that need to be provided."--

In all of Polk County, 80 classes didn't have subs. Polk County isn't the only county not making the grade with substitutes. Here's a look at surrounding counties that came up short on a Friday this month.

According to Lakeland Highlands Principal Joel Whiddon.. he thinks the shortage of substitutes coincides with the shortage of regular teachers.

--[Joel Whiddon says:] "I've noticed in the past two to four years that there's been a drop off in the number of teacher applicants that are around whenever you have vacancies during the summertime.."--

Because of the critical shortage of substitutes in Polk County Schools... The school board has reduced the criteria to be a substitute. You don't need to have a college degree, but you do need to go through a substitute endorsement program. If you're interested in becoming a substitute teacher, contact your county's schoolboard for more information. Each county has its own criteria to be a substitute teacher.

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