Here’s Why Substitute Teachers Are In High Demand But Short Supply In Hawaii … As of Jan. 11, the Department of Education system had 3,922 substitutes, down from 4,738 in the 2019-20 school year.
After graduating from the University of Hawaii Manoa with an English degree, Jillian Morrison wanted some experience as a teacher before committing to further educational studies or a teaching license.
So she decided to work as a substitute teacher for a few days a week at several elementary schools in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. By October 2020, at age 22, she became a long-term sub, teaching seventh grade math at a local intermediate school for the rest of the school year.
“I had no teaching experience, and really almost no work experience when I took on the long-term role,” Morrison said. “Honestly, I was surprised they even wanted me to do it considering how new I was.”
