Substitute teachers in schools are at an alarming rate in metro Richmond

Classroom with teacher and studentsPhoto byNational Cancer InstituteonUnsplash

WWBT 12 On Your Side reported that experts say students are disadvantaged when taught by long-term substitute teachers.

Substitute teachers are meant to fill the gap for a short period of time for a day or two. However, long-term substitute teachers in metro Richmond are showing up in a permanent teacher's classroom for several months at a time. This is happening more often because of teacher shortages.

Substitute teachers in the metro Richmond area

Substitute teachers are filling classrooms at an alarming rate.

• Richmond has nearly 200 substitute teachers.
• Henrico has 61 substitutes.
• Five percent of Chesterfield classrooms are filled with substitute teachers.

Filling classrooms with substitute teachers is not uncommon, but according to Virginia law, you don’t have to have a degree or be an expert in the content to become one. However, a long-term sub must have at least 60 college credit hours and cannot remain in one classroom for over 90 school days.

Carol Bauer, president of the Virginia Education Association, says there are disadvantages to students having long-term substitutes.

“When having a licensed teacher, this means somebody’s going to school who’s taking the classes, who’s studied how to teach science or teach reading. It’s a number of skills that you learn in a teacher preparation program to be fully licensed to allow you to prepare and support your students in the best way possible. So a long-term sub wouldn’t necessarily have those skills.”

Bauers says long-term subs also have limited access to resources, which could be vital to a child’s education.