The Jan. 15 front page story “Substitute shortage plagues schools: Clark County districts have trouble covering for teachers who are absent” did not mention one extremely important reason for the shortage — a maximum annual income of $16,000 without any benefits.
While it correctly reported that the average sub makes about $125 per day, you need to subtract taxes, so reduce that to $100 per day. Multiple that by 5 days per week, 4 weeks per month = $2,000 per month. For the annual income subtract four months (summer, Christmas, and spring breaks and assorted in-service days), leaving just eight months to work, which is $16,000 per year — the maximum a substitute can hope to earn.
All substitutes have at least a bachelor’s degree and many have master’s degrees, along with the student loan payments for that education. Frankly, many substitutes without any additional income qualify for food stamps and state-subsidized medical insurance.
Many teachers begin as substitutes hoping they can turn subbing into a full-time position. Others may start subbing for the flexibility or after a layoff. But unless they have help paying their bills, a substitute may well find he or she cannot afford to continue being a sub.
