Substitute teachers are having a current shortage issue this school year at Lakeland High School. Many substitute teachers are choosing to stay home this school year due to the fact that COVID-19 is a strong factor in this year’s schooling. 

Many substitute teachers are choosing not to substitute in fear of the Coronavirus. According to Lakeland’s Guest Teacher Coordinator, Danielle Robinson, “There has been a shortage of substitute teachers this year mainly due to COVID-19.  I have heard multiple times that after COVID is over people will come back to substitute teaching.”

Many people around the district choose to stay home. Mostly substitute teachers and students that fear contracting the virus. Record low attendance for students and substitute teachers has been common among the ever changing 2020 to 2021 school year.

The Lakeland School district has a solution to the substitute teacher shortage. The solution is increasing pay for substitute teachers. Another solution they have been doing is increasing the sanitization and the amount of social distancing in schools. These changes have been implemented to all the different schools throughout the Lakeland School District.

The district has been able to implement these changes rather quickly and efficiently. Once the situation with Coronavirus is solved, many substitute teachers and guest teachers will return.

“Once COVID19 is at bay I believe our absence rate will decrease and the people that have left substituting will return”.