BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) Halfway through the school year, and Buffalo Public Schools are putting out the call for substitute teachers.
"We're in desperate need," said Phil Rumore, President of the Buffalo Teacher
Federation. "There is such a lack of substitutes, that they often have to divide up classes to share teachers. It's really disruptive to students' education. We've received a lot of complaints," he added.
The substitute teacher shortage is a nationwide crisis. Since the start of the pandemic, teachers across the U.S. have retired early or quit, causing a substitute and teacher shortage. Increased absences have pushed the situation to a crisis, as schools struggle to fill vacancies. Rumore said just this school year, 170 teachers have resigned in Buffalo.
Prior to the current school year, WGRZ reported that Buffalo Schools had 570 substitutes lined up with a goal of 700 for the year.
"Subbing is a very difficult job," said Rumore. "You have to adapt very quickly to the students' needs and you don't know a lot about them." He said it's similar to the bus driver shortage in terms of drumming up interest in the job.
"You have to find out what is the problem. The best way to do that is to talk to current and past subs to find out what would make them more willing to be a substitute teacher."
Substitute teachers in Buffalo make $123 dollars a day. A bachelor's degree is required. Substitutes are not held to residency requirements.
The district is holding interviews Saturday, January 28. To be considered or an interview, you can apply HERE.
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