Facing shortages, Atlanta school districts come up with new ways to recruit substitutes

Atlanta school districts have tried different methods to recruit more substitutes, from raising pay to having other school employees step in to cover classes. Credit: Alphonso Whitfield

As Atlanta students and teachers prepare to head back to class in the upcoming weeks, many districts are still dealing with a shortage of substitute teachers. Some systems are trying new tactics to fill those positions.

The Fayette County Public Schools hired 120 substitutes last year. Human Resources Director Erin Roberson said it wasn’t enough.

“I happened to hear someone saying that their spouse was a bus driver and would be willing to help between their routes,” Roberson said in a district video. “So I started thinking about that, and I wondered if there were other bus drivers who might be willing to fill in classrooms as well.”