The need for more substitute teachers led bus drivers in Georgia's Fayette County Public Schools to step up and fill in where they are needed in a classroom between their routes.
According to a release issued by the school district, nearly two dozen drivers participated in an information session to learn more about the role. This is just one school district battling staffing shortages as teachers around the nation are quitting or retiring early, citing pandemic burnout in most cases.
A piece by the National Education Association discussed the impacts that these shortages have had on school districts and what may need to happen to address it.
Fayette County Public Schools posted a YouTube video where several bus drivers discussed why they were willing to step into this new role.
"It is a way of giving back to help when we really need it right now," Tina Barrett, one of the school bus drivers, said in the video.
Erin Roberson, the district's director of human resources, said the district hired more than 120 substitute teachers since the start of the school year.
But it was not enough.
"We still have absences that are not filled with a substitute teacher," she said.
Melinda Berry-Dreisbach, the district's public information officer, told Newsweek this idea was conceived by Roberson after she learned a bus driver asked if it was possible for them to work as substitute teachers between their morning and afternoon routes.
They began their training earlier in the month at no cost. Berry-Dreisbach explained the human resources staff provided the training, which was a simplified version of the typical training for substitute teachers.
She said the drivers have previous experience with behavior management, what to say and what not to say to students and how to handle conflicts.
"After all, they manage a rolling classroom every day," she said. "The main training they needed was how to check-in as a substitute at the school and how to go into our system and select substitute jobs they want."
At the time of publication, 24 drivers have gone through training. Just this week, 10 bus drivers served as substitute teachers.
Berry-Dreisbach said teachers are required to leave a lesson plan for the substitute teacher to follow. Assignments may include writing, reading or working on projects.
Since the new initiative, Berry-Dreisbach said the district has been "pleased" with the number of bus drivers interested in becoming substitute teachers.
"We asked why they wanted to do this, the majority said they were doing it because they want to help our teachers, students and schools," she said.
O'Neil Coakley, another bus driver that appeared in the video, said he enjoys his work as a bus driver and has 13 years of experience as a childhood counselor.
"I just want to give back to the community and do what I can," he said.
About the writer
Catherine Ferris is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting for the U.S. Trends Team. She ... Read more
