KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Substitute teachers fill the need when teachers cannot get to school, but there is a major shortage in the region.
Mary Stewart is a retired 3rd-grade teacher. She taught for over 30 years before becoming a substitute at John Adams Elementary.
"I enjoy helping people learn and seeing them grow, and I get to do that even as a substitute," she said.
According to Assistant Superintendent Andy True, scheduling subs is getting harder and puts a strain on other staff members.
"Not only are those individual classrooms not able to be covered, but also you're pulling resources from other places to cover that."
It's a problem nationwide. News 5 reached out to the Johnson City and Bristol, Tennessee school systems. Johnson City school officials said they also have a shortage. Bristol, Tennessee said they do not, and that their fill rate is above the national average.
"What we want to do is try to address the issue in a way that we can try to not only have subs in our building everyday, but also to make it a benefit to the substitute teacher," said True.
True said they are working on a new system of hiring substitutes, which would allow retired teachers to work more than 120 days and still receive benefits.
Stewart says they like the flexibility of the job and hope the changes will help others to apply.
"I encourage people who are retired or who are interested or who like school and children and like to see them learn to come out and sub. We could certainly use you."