The substitute teacher shortage that has plagued school districts nationwide for weeks is still an issue in Midland Independent School District that won't go away soon, according to an ISD official.
The school district has been grappling with the substitute teach shortage for more than a year, Midland ISD Chief of Human Capital Management Woodrow Bailey said in a NewsWest 9 news story.
"It's widespread, it's something that we’re just all grappling with because of the workers in the workforce shortage right now that are available and willing to work in the middle of a pandemic," Bailey said.
Midland Independent School District Chief of Human Capital Management Woodrow Bailey in a 2016 photo
| facebook.com/woodrowwbailey/
Since the pandemic's beginning last year, the school district has worked with a company, ESS, which hires substitutes.
"They do a great job, they offer incentives, they do things the district cannot do," Bailey said. "As far as pay weekly, they have a huge call-center that they identify days we are short. So we work hand-in-hand and they are great partner and a great support to the district and we appreciate all they continue to do as well."
But that didn't save Midland ISD from the current substitute teacher shortage.
Midland ISD is far from alone in the scramble for substitute teachers. School districts across the nation are dealing with the same shortage and schools in Texas have been forced to cancel online classes, Business Insider reported on Sept. 5.
Houston's Conroe Independent School District was about 250 substitutes short as of early September, according to KHOU11. Conroe is one of a number of Texas school districts that don't have mask mandates against the still ongoing pandemic, which KHOU reported is a factor in "hesitations from substitutes" from entering the ISD.
"It's definitely been very chaotic and stressful for us," Conroe parent Tricia Danto said in the KHOU news story. "They're building the plane as they're flying it, and they will tell you that."
Midland ISD is well-served by the teachers they've been able to haire and keep onboard, Bailey told NewsWest 9.
"Can’t say enough about our amazing teachers that continue each and every day," he said. "They do whatever it takes. That means splitting classes, if that means helping out another teacher or taking on a different role, maybe they are a specialist on a campus but they're subbing in the classroom," he said.
Anyone who is interested in a substitute teaching position at Midland ISD may contact ESS or the school district.