Blog

February 22, 2021

Find the Most Qualified Substitute Teachers

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Using substitute teachers to fill in for absent teachers is a regular occurrence in just about every school. However, finding qualified and available subs can be challenging, especially without the right technology to support scheduling and communication between teachers, substitutes and administrators. TCP’s substitute management solutions, SubSearch Plus and InstaSub, makes it easy to search for and schedule substitutes so you can take the stress out of finding qualified substitutes and keep school operations running smoothly.

The Importance of Finding Qualified Substitute Teachers

On any given school day, a teacher’s absence prompts the need for a substitute.

According to a study commissioned by the Frontline Research & Learning Institute, teachers take an average of 11 days off during the school year, which means that in many school districts, there are days when multiple substitutes may be needed, many of them at a moment’s notice.

COVID-19 has only increased the need for qualified substitutes as teachers fall ill or are forced to quarantine at home due to exposure to the virus. You may need substitutes to fill in for weeks rather than just a day or two, and hiring just any substitute won’t be sufficient to meet your needs. You can’t have just any sub filling in for a high school calculus teacher for two weeks, or a chemistry teacher substituting for music class. You also need a streamlined process for contacting and scheduling preferred substitutes who already know your campus and school operations.

Having the tools to contact and schedule the most qualified substitutes increases your chances of giving students greater continuity in the classroom. You can also avoid having to pull other teachers or school administrators away from their regular jobs to fill gaps that should be filled by substitutes. TCP offers flexible tools and customizable features to help you find and schedule the specific substitutes you need so you can keep your school running efficiently.

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How Substitute Management Connects You to Qualified Substitute Teachers

It takes time, effort and organization to manage a pool of substitute workers and deploy them where they’re needed, especially when there is often such short notice. TCP’s substitute management solutions empower your administrators to see where you need substitutes, which individuals are available, and when they have been scheduled for work.

With tools for qualification-based search and notifications, our substitute management solutions helps you seek preferred substitutes, send offers and get subs scheduled and ready for the day. You also have access to reports and analytics that help you identify trends and track your use of subs throughout the school year. Here are some of the many ways these solutions help you keep your classrooms covered:

Reach substitutes on the go with fully mobile solutions
When you use SubSearch Plus or InstaSub as your automated substitute management solution, your days of using an antiquated phone-tree system to find a substitute are over. Mobile tools help streamline communication with substitutes, allowing them to view and accept offers from anywhere and at any time. The next time a teacher calls in sick at 5 a.m., mobile tools make it easier to notify and secure a substitute immediately. Mobile access also allows subs to see schedules so they know exactly when and where they need to work on any given day.

Find and schedule substitutes with integrated leave management
When a teacher calls in sick or has to stay home and quarantine, time is of the essence. SubSearch Plus brings together the leave calendar for teachers and substitute management, so a time-off request automatically generates a request for a substitute. By linking the two processes, you cut down on the number of steps required to cover for an absent teacher. Teachers can set preferences for certain teachers based on their skills and experience, and qualified substitutes can immediately accept or deny requests using our mobile app.

Set notification preferences to match specific classroom needs
TCP’s substitute management solutions allow you to set up preferred notification lists to make sure the best subs are notified first. You can create a preferred list of substitutes that matches the needs of your school, then configure notifications to go to individuals with specific qualifications—for example, those with certifications in special education or experience teaching high school math. You can also set notification preferences to contact substitute “regulars” who know your campus and the ins and outs of your school.

Run reports for better substitute program management
At the same time that you need a qualified substitute to meet your daily needs, you can also benefit from reporting and analytics to see how your substitute program operates throughout the school year. Real-time dashboards and customizable reports help you see coverage statistics, how often you use certain substitutes and much more.

Finding qualified substitute teachers helps you keep your school properly staffed at all times. With TCP’s substitute management solutions, you have flexible tools to help you cover teacher absences and maintain classroom staffing. To learn more, read chapter 3 of our workforce management eBook for K-12 schools, Leave Management Tools That Flex to Meet Your Needs.