Oregon Schools ‘Staffing Crisis’ So Bad State Temporarily Allowing Substitute Teachers Without Degrees

Liberal policies and mandates surrounding the coronavirus pandemic for over a year and a half have resulted in a mass labor shortage across a plethora of industries. Most recently with the vaccine mandates, individuals are either quitting or being forced into a leave of absence. Education is among the affected fields, leaving children without teachers.

In Oregon, officials said the “extraordinary shortage” of substitute teachers is also so bad, they have been forced to relinquish standards. The Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission announced it will temporarily be dropping the requirement for teachers to, well, be licensed to teach.

CNN reports:

“The temporary rule, which is set to expire March 31, allows substitute teacher applicants without a bachelor’s degree to be sponsored by a school district, which would also provide them with enhanced support administrative supervision, according to a joint statement from Dr. Anthony Rosilez, the commission’s executive director, and Erika Bare, the commission chair.”

In December of 2019, the state had 8,290 licensed substitute teachers. By September 18, 2021, the number was down to almost half at 4,738. The temporary administrative order says without more teachers, classes will be “combined to unacceptable levels or not offered at all, inflicting irreparable harm on schoolchildren.”

In the joint statement from Rosilez and Bare, they explained the reason behind the state’s conundrum: “while the data we have at this point is primarily anecdotal, the COVID pandemic has been a primary factor in the reduced supply.”

Elizabeth Thiel, president of the Portland Association of Teachers says Oregon is experiencing a “staffing crisis” exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s not just substitutes that we don’t have enough of. It’s classroom teachers, it’s administrators and custodians and bus drivers and education assistants and nutrition workers and paraprofessionals” added Thiel. “Every job type we have in our schools, we’re short.”