Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
A substitute teacher shortage caused problems at Harry S. Truman High School in Bristol Township Thursday.
Truman, like schools throughout Bucks County and Pennsylvania, faced a problem when classes started Thursday. Officials said teachers were out of work and there were not enough substitutes able to replace them.
Advertisements
A statement from Superintendent Dr. Melanie Gehrens said human resource records show there were an above-average amount of teachers out for the day. The records indicate the teachers were out for a variety of authorized reasons like illness, professional development, leave and bereavement.
“We have more classrooms that require substitute teachers than we have substitute teachers today,” Gehrens’ statement said.
Due to the substitute shortage, Truman implemented a “mass coverage plan” to make sure all students were overseen by teachers. The exact details of the plan were not available as of publication time.
Advertisements
The Bristol Township School District is not alone. In recent months, Neshaminy and Philadelphia school officials have spoken publicly about having trouble filling classrooms.
Late last year, Eric Eshbach, superintendent of the Northern York County School District in the central part of the state, testified in Harrisburg that finding substitute teachers can be hard because the jobs often don’t include benefits or steady employment, according the York Daily Record. Eshbach also reportedly said the improving job market and reduction in college students getting teaching certificates has also posed a problem.
