Retain First-Rate Substitute Teachers with Rewards and Recognition

You’re well aware that people choose to be teachers for reasons far beyond the compensation package.  People choose to teach because they care about students, are passionate about a subject area, and want to use their gifts and skills for the public good. For teachers like this, an identity as an educator means everything.

The same is true for people who make excellent substitute teachers.

So if your district has a shortage of substitutes, ask the question: are you viewing your substitutes as educators or babysitters? If it’s the latter, it’s worth making the effort to structure the job so that people who identify as educators will be drawn to it. Here are a few ideas:

Recognize the Role Substitutes Play in Education.

Great substitutes don’t just want to punch a clock; they want to teach.

Reward Great Work with Pay Incentives.

Most people don’t grow up saying, “I want to make $30,000 a year for the rest of my life with no opportunity for financial growth.”

Find ways to reward the great work of exceptional substitute teachers so that your district retains them and helps them grow into a professional community member who furthers the goals of the district alongside administration and other educators. Look at ways to provide rewards and recognition for great service.

Reward great work with:

• Tiered Pay: Consider tiered pay as an opportunity for a substitute to make more than the per-day flat fee to reward strong qualifications and work ethic.
• Non-Monetary Rewards: Consider non-monetary rewards, too, such as placing substitute teachers on a preferred list where they may have more control over which classes they cover.
• Recognition: Consider ways to elevate and honor those substitute teachers who show up regularly and further academic excellence in your schools.
• Training: Consider providing pedagogical and technology training for substitutes early in the school year and explore online resources that can help.

By helping to increase their skills as educators, you’ll not only provide a benefit to your substitutes, you’ll be serving your students as well. As your district seeks to provide excellent education to your students, don’t overlook the crucial role that substitutes play. The more you recognize substitutes as partners in education, the more you’ll attract people who are invested in your mission — and that can only be a good thing for your school.