Tucson Standard

A nationwide teacher shortage is forcing schools in Pima County and southern Arizona to rely on substitute teachers.

According to a KOLD News 13, the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) has more than 100 vacancies for teachers and more than 50 others for special education instructors. Marana Unified and Amphitheater Public Schools are also among the districts affected by the shortage.

“School districts are doing everything they can do," Pima County Schools Superintendent Dustin Williams told KOLD News 13. "They’re holding hiring fairs. They’re recruiting. They’re taking some of their Esser dollars, their retention bonuses -- anything and everything they can do."

In districts such as Amphi, current teachers are handling some of the shortages by taking on additional assignments while continuing their normal class load.

Williams said salary is a big factor in the shortage, both locally and nationwide.

"The big issue is there is still not enough money in this industry to fund it the way that we can make people want to come to the education profession," he told KOLD News 13.

The shortage has led to inconsistency in the classroom, which affects both students and faculty.

“When you have a substitute that is a different sub every other day, then the kids get dysregulated and the staff is like, ‘Who’s coming in now? Who’s teaching what lesson? Are the lessons being taught?’ All those things, so that’s the problem,” Tucson Education Association President Margaret Chaney said, according to KOLD News 13.

The frustration caused by the shortages could also exacerbate the problem, Chaney added.

“Anytime you increase the size of the classroom, it has a negative impact on the other students because they’re not going to get the level of support they may need. As far as the staff members are concerned, it’s a headache,” she told KOLD News 13.