Marshfield (OnFocus) – The 2019-20 school year ended like no other we have seen. The COVID-19 virus caused schools throughout the country to shut down in-person learning with little warning, and for schools in Wisconsin, the remainder of the school year was conducted remotely.
Wisconsin schools are set to kick off the new term September 1, and uncertainty on the direction the pandemic is taking makes this year full of challenges. Among these many challenges is how districts are addressing staffing of their schools. To get a good read on how staffing challenges are being addressed this year, OnFocus reached out to area district administrators for their thoughts. In this first of a four part series on the start of the 2020-21 year, we asked administrators the following questions:
- What challenges do you see this year with teacher staffing in your district, with the uncertainty of how COVID-19 will impact teacher availability?
- Have you experienced new challenges this year with filling vacancies? How has the staffing process compared to previous years?
- What have you observed about substitute teacher availability for this year, and how does that compare with previous years?
It was clear from those superintendents responding that their districts are taking on staffing this year with the added difficulty COVID-19 is causing. In the Neillsville School District, District Superintendent John Gaier noted teachers are working together to provide a sound plan to start the year.
“We are very fortunate that our staff is so unselfishly dedicated to helping our kids return in a blended plan, and so willing to work so hard to make it work,” Gaier explained. “We have been able to fill all of our openings, so we will be beginning with a full staff. If positive tests begin to a rise, we will struggle to find capable help.”
The Stratford School District is largely in good shape with staffing for this year, superintendent Scott Winch shared.
“Our teaching staff was set in June, however we just lost a math teacher to another district so we are looking for a replacement. That is our challenge with our teaching staff. Support staff we had several openings but we were pleasantly surprised by the number of applicants and since have filled all of those positions,” Winch explained. “Don’t get me wrong, I do believe there are and will continue to be challenges for districts but up until last week – we were sitting good.”
In the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools, staffing needs for this year changed due to virtual teaching positions that have been created.
Medford superintendent Pat Sullivan shared the uncertainty of this year impacts both current and future staffing needs.
“There is the uncertainty of knowing how many students will be in the building and if we will last the school year. Should I fill the position or not?” Sullivan said.
District administrators all were confident they would begin the year in good shape with staffing of their buildings. Cheryl Baker, Abbotsford School District Superintendent, is pleased with how Abbotsford has prepared.
“As of today, all of our staff have reported, so we are very fortunate. Challenges include meeting the needs of extra staff to oversee ‘virtual’ learning for approximately 110 students who chose a ‘pure’ virtual environment to start the year. Our goal was not to overload our teaching staff that are meeting face-to-face with students M/T/Th/F,” Baker explained.
There are major concerns about what lies ahead for schools, however, should staff need to be out for a period of time due to COVID-19. Substitute teacher availability is quite low, Baker explained.
“With that said, our sub list is down a bit this year for obvious reasons, so should a teacher call in for a non-Covid reason, we should be okay, but if we start losing staff to Covid-19 infection OR for contact tracing reasons, we could be in trouble, much as I would imagine all small, rural districts. We are taking every precaution conceivable to keep staff and students safe. We’re obviously hoping for the best, but remaining pragmatic about potential scenarios,” Baker shared.
Challenges with staffing for this school year has been similar to recent years, with the number of certified applicants an issue for several years.
“We have not had a late resignation like this in the past so that is a new challenge for us. I would say the number of applicants before COVID were down and hiring was a challenge so getting certified applicants was a challenge before COVID and will continue to a challenge moving forward,” Winch noted.
“We’ve filled our positions that were open, either through retirement or resignation. The teaching pool was down, but that’s been the case for the past few years,” said Colby District Superintendent Steve Kolden. “The pool is down, reduced compared to previous years.”
Getting a head start on staffing last spring proved to make things a bit easier in Abbotsford, Baker explained.
“This past spring, knowing that we would have some vacancies was helpful, as we got an earlier start on posting our openings. Some positions of course have been more difficult to fill than others, but as of today, although I hate to state this, even in writing, we are set.”
Broeren explained the challenges with staffing this year are similar to previous years, with one difference – timing.
“The challenges with staffing this year have been the same types of challenges as in the past- low numbers of quality applicants; however, as indicated above, the positions we have filled, we have been lucky to fill with quality people. The biggest difference between this year and prior years has to do with timing- we have filled more positions in mid to late August than “normal” – Craig Broeren.
Worth noting is some of the unique challenges rural, smaller school districts face with staffing, Gaier explained.
“We have actually been facing staffing challenges for the last 6-8 years. Act 10 pushed a lot of teachers out of the profession, and the number of young people choosing to major in the field of education has dropped measurably. Rural schools have been impacted the most when trying to fill teaching vacancies, especially in certain certification areas. I see this only getting worse, because many students are being discouraged from choosing education as a career.”
Adding to the challenges districts face with staffing their buildings, there has long been a declining pool of substitute teachers ready to step in. This is a major issue, administrators noted.
“This is going to be very challenging, tougher than past years,” Sullivan explained.
“Substitute teachers are very difficult to find. If licensing flexibility to get a substitute license wasn’t approved, it would be impossible for rural districts to find enough substitute teachers. Fortunately, our subs are interested in continuing to come back this year. Again, I am very fortunate to have excellent people working with our kids,” Gaier shared.
Winch identified substitute teacher availability as the biggest challenge.
“I think getting qualified substitute teachers is going to be our number one challenge this year,” Winch explained. “Numbers have been scarce and we anticipate the number to be even more scarce as we start the school year.”
Broeren explained it’s not only a matter of finding substitutes, but retaining them.
Most of Abbotsford’s substitute teachers are coming back, Baker explained.
“We lost some of our more senior subs, but overall the vast majority have agreed to remain on the sub list. The truth will be in the pudding, or better said, when we call because we need them,” Baker shared.
Baker proudly added that there are still teachers wanting to step to the plate and make a difference with kids.
“Amazingly, we hired several teachers that are starting this fall, so it would appear the strong of heart are still out there and willing to enter this brave, new world.”
Next up, Part Two: Area principals share their thoughts on challenges their schools are facing
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
