Help Wanted: Substitute Teachers, Bus Drivers

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER
Renee Robinson has driven a school bus for 14 years, eight years in Farmington and now in Prairie Grove for six years. She said her students are doing a great job on the bus. They are  wearing their masks and washing their hands each time with hand sanitizer. Districts in the area have a shortage of bus drivers because of covid-19 concerns.
LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Renee Robinson has driven a school bus for 14 years, eight years in Farmington and now in Prairie Grove for six years. She said her students are doing a great job on the bus. They are wearing their masks and washing their hands each time with hand sanitizer. Districts in the area have a shortage of bus drivers because of covid-19 concerns.

FARMINGTON -- As school districts continue their safety protocols because of the covid-19 outbreak, they also are trying to manage a shortage of substitute teachers and bus drivers.

Reba Holmes, superintendent of Prairie Grove School District, said her district can use a paraprofessional or combine classes if a substitute is not available, but the district cannot just pull anyone to drive a school bus.

"What we need are bus drivers," Holmes said. "It (covid-19) is affecting everything."

Currently, Prairie Grove needs 4 1/2 bus drivers.

Holmes said the district is using coaches, directors, mechanics and others in the district who have a commercial license to drive a school bus. However, this means taking those people away from their main responsibilities.

"It's kind of a mess," Holmes said.

David Kellogg, assistant superintendent, said the district runs 14 buses on routes and some buses have double routes. Ridership was down 20-25% at the first of the year compared to last year, but he said the number of students riding the bus, especially in the afternoons, has gone up as more students are returning to on-site classes.

Holmes said getting substitute teachers also has been difficult. Building secretaries have been calling people who've done it in the past to talk to them about applying to work as a substitute.

Farmington, Prairie Grove and Lincoln schools, along with several other small districts in Northwest Arkansas, decided to change to a new provider this year for substitute teachers and signed contracts with Kelly Services Inc.

The contract signed by the school districts shows that Kelly Services is responsible for recruiting, selecting and hiring employees to work as substitute teachers and will place employees according to the school's requirements.

Kelly is responsible for paying wages and providing benefits to its employees working as subs.

Farmington, Lincoln and Prairie Grove districts all pay $85 per day for substitute teachers. Lincoln School Board increased sub pay from $75 to $85 last week to be competitive with other districts.

"It's been tough," said Mary Ann Spears, superintendent of Lincoln Consolidated School District about getting substitute teachers. "We've seen a lot choose not to sub."

She said the school has put out messages and posted information on their school website to encourage people to apply to be a substitute teacher. However, even when a person signs up, it takes three to four weeks before they can work because of background checks and other paperwork, Spears said.

To cover substitute shortages, she said schools have used paraprofessionals or other teachers to cover those classes.

"It's been a stretch," she said. "Sometimes a teacher is giving up a prep to take a class. We're doing the best we can. We're making it work."

Nonni Jones in Farmington's administration office said 57 people are on Kelly Service's list of employees who have said they would be willing to substitute in Farmington. However, she notes these people also could have signed up to sub in other districts as well.

Farmington, like Lincoln and Prairie Grove, is having problems getting substitute teachers because of the new coronavirus.

Jones said the individual schools have been working it out when a substitute is not available. In some cases, the schools have combined classes if that was a possibility or used paraprofessionals as substitutes, she said.

"The schools have been handling it themselves, but it's been hard," Jones said.

Farmington has drivers for its 21 regular routes but did combine one route this year, said Jim Hendricks, transportation director. However, he said Farmington has "zero" substitute bus drivers. Coaches with a commercial driver's license are filling in as needed.

Hendricks said this is the first time since Dec. 7, 2017, that he has not had a substitute driver.

"You can't find them and you can't keep them," Hendricks said, noting a substitute driver has to be able to work early in the morning and then later in the afternoon, which is hard for most people unless they are retired or are not working.

Hendricks said at least two drivers from last year did not return because of covid-19 but he's also had others come on board this year to drive.

Last year, Farmington had about 1,300 students riding buses in the afternoon. The year started with 800 students and now is up to about 1,000 students riding buses home in the afternoon, Hendricks said.

Deon Birkes, Lincoln schools' transportation director, said the district has drivers for its 10 routes and has substitutes to call. However, he said he can always use more substitute drivers in case something comes up.

Lincoln's ridership also has increased since school opened in August as more students are returning to on-site classes.

Birkes said the district is doing all it can to keep students safe while riding buses to and from school.

"It's all about the kids," Birkes said.

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To apply to substitute teach:

Kelly Services, 501-224-0090

For information to drive a bus:

Farmington, 266-1808

Lincoln, 824-7300

Prairie Grove, 846-4242