I am originally from Long Island, New York. I was a teacher, assistant principal, principal and adjunct graduate school professor at Brooklyn College, teaching teachers who wished to become school administrators. The substitute issue is a serious one, to say the least. In my last district, where I was a principal, we solved the problem of finding qualified substitutes in a rather unique way.
We hired one permanent substitute for each building. He or she was paid the daily going rate for a substitute and reported to the same school every day. They were usually recent graduates of “teaching” programs and had their provisional certifications. This program served as an “inside advantage” for these individuals, should a teaching position become available. Having the same person in your building as a substitute allowed me, as the principal, to see him or her in multigrade-level situations all year long. If a substitute was not needed on a given day in one school in the district, they could be “transferred” to another school in the district that needed same.
As to their daily pay, they were paid the going rate for substitutes, whatever that might be. However, they were guaranteed full, five-day paychecks each and every week for the entire school year. Make no mistake: They realized that, though the pay was the minimum daily rate for “subs,” the low pay for daily “subs” was a huge advantage, should teaching positions become available.
The system worked to their advantage and to my advantage.
For what it’s worth.
Peter Graffagnino
Bridgeville
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