Kansas school officials declare emergency, relax substitute teacher requirements
Substitute teachers in Kansas no longer need college credit hours, under an emergency declaration approved Wednesday to address unprecedented staff shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Kansas State Board of Education temporarily lowered the requirements as a “last resort” in an effort to keep schools open and provide relief to teachers and other employees who have been stepping in to staff classrooms.
Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson said during the state board meeting that as of Tuesday night, “four school districts right now that I know of are about to shut their doors. They don’t have enough staff to operate.”
“That’s the tip of the iceberg,” Watson told the board. “We’re just on the front edge of this as we see it. This, I think, will be of help. But please know, if we start to see a rolling tide where we just can’t do it, I’ll be in contact with all of you. And I think it would then be a time to get together with the governor, president of the Senate and speaker of the House, because we may need to take a look at something broader than this to make sure we can try to keep schools open.”
In the Kansas City metro, teachers and administrators are stretched thin, giving up their breaks and planning time to fill in when there is no substitute available.
On the Missouri side, the Lee’s Summit school district has been so short staffed that the superintendent has taught classes.
Officials with the Grain Valley school district have said they are monitoring staff absences to determine if they will need to cancel classes.
Near Columbia, after students returned from the holiday break, the Southern Boone school district closed its doors and went virtual because so many employees and substitutes were out with COVID-19 that they couldn’t staff buildings.
On the Kansas side, the Shawnee Mission school district reports a record 141 employees have tested positive for the virus as of Monday.
Hoping to provide relief to districts, the Kansas State Board of Education agreed to ease requirements for who can qualify to apply for an emergency substitute teaching license in the state.
Usually there is a minimum requirement of 60 semester credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university. The emergency declaration approved Wednesday removes that minimum requirement.
Under the new rules, candidates must: Be at least 18 years old; have a high school diploma (individuals with a GED are not eligible); have a verified commitment from a district for employment; pass a background check; and submit a completed application to the state education department.
It is only a temporary measure, set to expire on June 1. After that date, the more rigorous requirements would return.
While many feel the change is far less than ideal, officials emphasized that it is a necessary step as COVID-19 continues to strain school systems.
“We’re being asked to consider this measure as a last resort,” said board member Melanie Haas, of Overland Park. “Some of the comments I have heard from teachers are very angry. They feel very devalued. … This is to help you guys out.
“Because we are in a tight spot, and schools, unfortunately, are asked to provide so much more than education. We need to keep the doors open so the kids have access to services, so they have access to their teachers. And when those teachers can’t be there, we need to make sure there’s someone to help fill those classrooms.”
The Missouri State Board of Education also recently eased substitute teacher requirements due to severe staffing shortages. Certification previously required at least 60 semester hours of college-level credit from a regionally accredited institution. Now instead, applicants must have a high school diploma, pass a background check and take a 20-hour online course approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The online training covers topics such as professionalism, honoring diversity, engaging students, foundational classroom management techniques, basic instructional strategies, supporting students with special needs and working with at-risk youth.
This story was originally published January 12, 2022 at 1:28 PM.
