Why Automated Substitute Placement Beats Manual: A Comparative Guide 

In the midst of budget crunches and a substitute teacher shortage, school districts are examining every possible area for savings. One significant area where efficiencies can be gained is in managing teacher absences. Manually handling substitute placement not only consumes valuable time but also lacks a centralized view of spending and important trends. In contrast, automating substitute placement can bring significant savings and optimize resource utilization.  

Let’s explore the disadvantages of manual substitute placement versus the advantages of automation. 

The Substitute Teacher Shortage 

The shortage of substitute teachers has become a critical issue for many districts, further compounded by ongoing teacher shortages. This challenge adds significant complexity to managing absences effectively. Understanding how manual and automated systems address this issue is essential for optimizing resources and maintaining uninterrupted student learning.  

Here’s a quick look at how each system fares in tackling this pressing problem: 

Manual Substitute Placement and the Shortage 

• Increased Difficulty in Finding Substitutes: With fewer substitutes available, manual calling becomes even more time-consuming and often results in unfilled positions. 

• Last-Minute Scramble: The shortage amplifies the inefficiencies of manual systems, leading to a last-minute scramble to cover classes and additional stress for school staff. 

Automated Substitute Placement and the Shortage 

• Wider Reach and Faster Response: Automated systems can contact a larger pool of substitutes quickly, increasing the likelihood of finding available candidates even in a tight market. 

• Proactive Management: Automation allows for better planning and proactive management of absences, helping districts mitigate the impact of the substitute shortage. 

Manual Substitute Placement: The Cons 

The Cost of Manual Substitute Calling 

Many districts use a decentralized absence management process, where a live substitute caller or secretary in each school records absences and finds substitutes. This process incurs substantial expenses in salaries and benefits for sub-callers and is often ineffective. Sub-callers often spend hours making countless phone calls, only to face unresponsive or unavailable substitutes. 

Before Frontline, I’d have to call subs and go down a list and maybe never find anybody. Now, teachers would get on the app, enter their day of their absence, and it would immediately start calling subs. ‘This person has filled this position, this vacancy.’ So, it really alleviated a lot of stress. 

–Jennifer Prejean, Human Resources Facilitator

Inconsistent Fill Rates 

Manual contact with substitutes, especially for last-minute absences, often results in low fill rates in classrooms. This can lead to additional expenses and frustration as principals may need to ask already busy teachers to cover for absent colleagues. 

Lack of Absence Accountability 

Without an automated tracking system, districts struggle to view and report on absence trends or track teachers’ leave balances. This lack of data can lead to the abuse of absence privileges, increasing costs for the district. 

Piles of Paperwork 

Manual processes for recording absences, logging substitute calls, processing approvals, and filing timesheets are paper-intensive processes. This paperwork doubles when information needs to be re-entered manually into payroll systems, causing confusion, slow processes, and additional expenses. 

Automated Substitute Placement: The Pros 

Cost Savings and Efficiency 

An automated substitute placement system eliminates the need for part- or full-time substitute callers and increases district fill rates. The system can contact a large number of substitutes simultaneously, and jobs are available online for proactive substitutes to accept. 

Access to Better Reports 

With an online system, districts can analyze data such as absence trends and substitute costs to improve performance and reduce unnecessary expenses. Advanced systems provide custom report writers, allowing districts to create a wide variety of reports that can be exported into Excel and other formats. 

“I’m able to go in the report section and run a report each month. It takes me about 30 minutes to do 44 sites and come up with the [attendance] percentages for the schools. Thank goodness we’ve got Absence Management because data is immediately at my fingertips.”

– Bruce Chaffin, HR Director

Reducing Teacher Absenteeism 

Having consistent teachers in the classroom reduces placement costs and has been proven to improve student performance. An automated system increases teacher accountability through 24/7 tracking and instant online reporting. Real-time visibility and access to absence history enable districts to track casual absence abuses and facilitate discussions with teachers about improving attendance. 

Elimination of Paperwork 

Web-based automated systems dramatically reduce paperwork costs and disorganization. All substitute contact information and calls placed by the system are logged online, eliminating the need for call logs. Absence approvals can be managed online, and substitute data can be seamlessly transferred to payroll systems. 

“I put my absences in, and I also manage and approve absences for my faculty. It makes managing leave so much easier.”

– Karen Ingram, Career and Technical Education Director

Integration with Other Systems 

Automated systems save time by integrating with other applications and exporting data through reporting tools. Integration with payroll systems reduces manual data entry and errors, translating into direct savings for districts. 

Ready to go digital? 

Automating substitute placement offers substantial benefits for K-12 districts, from cost savings and improved efficiency to enhanced accountability and reduced paperwork. By adopting an automated system, districts can optimize their resources and focus on what matters most – providing quality education. 

Learn more about automated substitute placement here: Frontline Absence Management