Some Alabama substitute teachers make close to minimum wage

[Shelor]

Substitute teachers in Alabama make as little as $37 a day, a figure close to the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour for a seven-and-a-half hour work day.

The state's proposed budget in the Legislature would raise the state's base pay for substitutes to $40 a day. But even with local supplements, Alabama's pay for substitutes is far below the national average of about $70 a day and is near the lowest in the nation.

School superintendents say the low pay adds to the problem of finding people willing and able to take over a classroom.

"It's almost embarrassing what we pay substitutes," said Brian Johnson, superintendent of Cherokee County schools, where substitutes make $37 or $42 a day, depending on whether they have a college degree. "The bad part about $37 a day is that it's not even minimum wage and these are high quality people and we need to pay them more."


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AL_SUBSTITUTE_TEACHERS_ALOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-02-25-18-29-37

[jody]

1. I understand but what does a substitute teacher do? Does she/he simply

monitor a class?

Is a substitute teacher supposed to be certified to teach the particular subject for which she/he is serving as a substitute?

If so, does she/he actually teach the material scheduled for that day(s)?

It seems to me that the job a substitute is expected to do should influence how much they are paid?

[MelissaB]

2. Jodi, have you ever substituted?

I substituted before I started teaching. Let me tell you that I earned my pay and more. When students have a sub they think it's their job to see how much they can get away with.

As far as what they do...I try to leave a lesson that relates to what we are doing in class at the time, and sometimes leave the lesson I was going to teach with very good instructions, examples, and the answer sheet to go along with it. It really depends on the complexity of the lesson and who the sub is going to be.

[jody]

3. Yes but not in K-12. I did not mean to malign substitute teachers.

I just wanted to know what a substitute teacher was expected to do in Alabama schools. :shrug:

[MelissaB]

4. LOL!

Some days I'm just happy if the sub keeps the students in the classroom. :rofl: It really is more difficult than it sounds.

[jody]

5. Sounds like you need a drill sergeant more than a sub. How's the weather

up in Florence?

Beautiful sunny day but cold winds out of the north here in Montgomery.

:hi:

[MelissaB]

6. Well, I teach 8th grade, so a drill sergeant would come in handy.

The weather here is great. We've had some beautiful days lately. :hi: