Since mid-November, teachers in Metro Schools have missed 5,600 days of work. The district is closely monitoring how often teachers call in sick or take personal days in an effort to understand the unusually high reliance on substitute teachers.
According to
a national report, Nashville schools had the country’s third worst problem with absences. On average, teachers miss class 14 days a year. The problem is systemic, says school board chair Sharon Dixon Gentry.
“Absenteeism is a symptom of something,” Gentry says. “So, whether they are out because of sick days or out because, ‘I just don’t want to deal with that environment today.’ I think there is an opportunity to be responsive regardless.”
They feel overwhelmed, over-tested, and sometimes need a day off, says Andy Mizell. While teaching at Margaret Allen Middle Prep, he sees a substitute almost every day at his school.
“I always tell them I would never be able to substitute even though I’m a teacher. I would never do your job. It’s even harder to be a substitute,” he says.
Mizell notes that students need consistency, and their daily routine is disturbed when substitutes are brought in.
Compounding the issue is a shortage of subs. So some schools are unable to find someone to cover for teachers who call out. In the past month, nearly a quarter of teacher absences have gone unfilled, meaning students are divvied up among other teachers and staff.
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