Substitute teachers play an essential role in the Ithaca City School District (ICSD). While the requirements for a substitute teacher are less rigorous than those of a full-time teacher, substitutes too need qualifications.

Every substitute teacher who wishes to work for the ICSD must have a high school diploma, a teaching certificate, and a bachelor’s degree. When applying for a position as a substitute teacher, an applicant must also take an oath of allegiance and present an application form, two letters of reference, proof of fingerprinting, employment eligibility verification, and two forms of identification.

After a candidate has his or her documentation approved, he or she is then recommended to the Board of Education for appointment as a substitute teacher. Accepted applicants must complete a substitute profile sheet that includes information to be entered into the SubFinder database maintained by BOCES. This allows the ICSD to contact substitute teachers for teaching opportunities in the district via an automated calling system.

Once employed, substitutes can opt to be long-term substitutes, which involves teaching for a semester or more. Long-term substitutes are paid the salary of an entry-level teacher, adding any extra experience and graduate hours. They are also put on a contract for the duration of the teaching time. Until recently, substitute teachers who taught for 20 days or less were paid $80.00 per day.

In April 2007, the ICSD Board of Education voted to increase the substitute teacher salary by $3, making it $83.00 per day. This increase, a result of efforts by the Ithaca Substitutes Association, marked the first raise for Ithaca substitutes in 13 years. Also in April, the Association announced its intention to create a union for the substitutes of the ICSD in order to gain respect and bargaining power.

On June 15, after achieving the 30 percent support needed to move forward with their plans, the substitutes submitted a petition to the New York State Public Employment Relations Board. The Association met with the district and the Public Employment Relations Board on July 18 for a special conference. The Association needed to show more than 50 percent petition support for the union in order to gain union status without holding a vote among the substitutes.

An election took place on August 22; out of the 141 participants, 123 voted in favor of the union, with nine votes invalidated and nine votes against the union.

It is unsurprising that the majority of substitutes welcomed a union, since even after a $3 raise in their salaries, substitutes can only earn about $11 per hour, working from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Furthermore, in compliance with state tenure laws, substitutes are limited to working only 120 days per year, reducing their yearly salaries to around $10,000, well below what they would make working at minimum-wage jobs.

Due to their lower salaries and work hours, substitutes feel that they don’t always receive the respect they deserve. Most substitutes hold college degrees, and some have teaching degrees and are qualified to be full-time teachers. If a teacher is absent, a well-educated and qualified substitute can help a class continue to progress. Students and faculty alike may overlook substitute teachers’ contributions to the school. Ronald Jones, a former substitute teacher who now teaches math full time at IHS, commented on his experiences as a substitute: “I know that, as a sub, I was viewed with low regard by some building administrators, who either ignored me or acted like I knew absolutely nothing about either my subject or about students. Maybe they thought I was merely an overpaid babysitter.”

By forming a union dedicated to promoting respect for substitute teachers, many look forward to better status and higher pay. Jones expressed his hopes for the union: “I expect that eventually the school board and/or the administration will open up a dialogue with representatives of the new union.… The administration will have to recognize and negotiate with the union, as substitute teachers are an integral part of the education process in this or any school district.” Others are hoping for better development opportunities. Steve Weissburg, a math teacher at IHS, said, “I hope [substitute teachers] get better pay, clarification on what does or does not constitute a sub’s obligation, and perhaps the opportunity for professional development.”

The new union has many immediate goals, including higher pay for substitute teachers. The union has already decided to form a negotiating committee and is planning to enter into negotiations with the district about substitutes’ pay.