I have spent the past year studying how schools across the nation rely on substitute teachers. One reality keeps me up at night: approximately 411,500 teaching positions nationwide (about 1 in 8) are either unfilled or filled by teachers not fully certified for their assignments. Substitute educators are stepping into a role far beyond traditional expectations. They are not placeholders—they are vital to ensuring continuity and progress in every student's learning journey. We must rethink what it means to be a substitute teacher.
Today's substitute educators are expected to deliver effective instruction, manage complex classroom routines, and support learners across various content areas. Yet, most receive minimal preparation for these expanded responsibilities, creating a gap between expectations and capabilities that directly impacts student learning outcomes.
This gap is particularly acute in literacy instruction, where continuity is essential for student progress. When literacy blocks are reduced to worksheets or abandoned entirely because a substitute cannot manage guided reading groups or literacy centers, students lose precious opportunities to develop critical reading and writing skills. In rural and under-resourced districts where finding qualified substitute educators is especially challenging, these disruptions can compound over time, creating significant learning gaps for our most vulnerable students.
Redefining the Role of the Substitute Teacher in Content Area Instruction
Through my research and work with thousands of substitute educators across the nation, I have observed that redefining the job itself is essential. In my view, a successful substitute educator is confident and competent on day one. That means they must make three commitments. First, they must recognize that their presence directly affects long-term student outcomes. Substitute teachers must prepare with the same seriousness (though not to the same degree) as full-time teachers. Second, they must ground their practice in clear, research-based standards rather than ad-hoc tips; those standards tell them exactly how to lead instruction, manage routines, and uphold professional ethics. Third, they must treat literacy as everyone's responsibility. Whether they are covering biology or band, they preview key vocabulary, model fluent reading of directions, and keep the school's literacy block intact instead of swapping it for a worksheet or movie.
Research consistently demonstrates that teacher preparation and training positively impact student achievement. When schools place less-trained teachers in classrooms- or when they experience teacher turnover, students perform more poorly on state and standardized assessments. Yet many schools have failed to apply this well-established principle to substitute teachers, despite their growing role in student learning experiences.
This challenge is particularly evident in elementary literacy instruction, where classroom routines form the backbone of effective teaching through complex orchestration of guided reading groups, independent reading time, literacy centers, and targeted interventions. When substitute educators cannot navigate these structures, the entire instructional framework collapses—students who should progress through leveled texts instead complete generic worksheets or watch a movie, English language learners miss scaffolded vocabulary instruction, and struggling readers lose access to small-group interventions that could accelerate their progress.
This vision requires a fundamental shift in how we conceptualize substitute teaching. Instead of viewing substitute educators as temporary supervisors, we must recognize them as integral members of the instructional team who require systematic preparation and ongoing support.
Building a Literacy-Minded Substitute Educator Workforce Through the LEARN Framework
To make this approach repeatable and scalable, my team and I developed the LEARN framework after surveying thousands of substitute educators and conducting a comprehensive review of 28 years of field research. We surveyed our substitute teachers for feedback, then our special education experts and I did a deep dive into all the literature. The result was the LEARN framework, which asks substitute educators to:
Each component of LEARN directly supports literacy instruction across content areas. Leading instruction for every learner means understanding how to read and implement lesson plans, recognize learning objectives, and adapt instruction for diverse needs. This competency enables substitute educators to maintain the complex routines that define effective literacy instruction, from managing reading groups to facilitating peer discussions about texts.
Ensuring a safe and productive environment extends beyond basic classroom management to include maintaining the instructional routines that support literacy learning. A substitute who understands this standard can preserve the quiet reading nook, maintain the classroom library organization, and keep literacy centers operational rather than defaulting to whole-group instruction or independent work.
The professionalism and ethics component addresses the collaborative nature of literacy instruction. Substitute educators must communicate effectively with reading specialists, special education teachers, and other support staff who work with students throughout the day. They must also maintain confidentiality regarding student reading levels and intervention needs while ensuring appropriate support continues.
Recognizing the whole child means understanding that literacy development varies significantly among students and that effective instruction must respond to these differences. A substitute equipped with this knowledge can implement differentiated instruction, provide appropriate scaffolding for English language learners, and maintain intervention schedules for struggling readers.
Finally, navigating the school community requires substitute educators to communicate clearly with classroom teachers, colleagues, and administrators about student progress and instructional decisions. This includes documenting student participation in literacy activities and reporting concerns about reading performance to the appropriate personnel.
While many states and districts require some form of orientation for substitute teachers, the quality and comprehensiveness of their preparation vary dramatically across the country. LEARN offers district leaders a research-based framework for transforming basic orientation into meaningful professional development. Districts can audit their current training against the five LEARN components and identify specific gaps rather than starting from scratch.
This systematic approach is particularly valuable in districts where substitute educator pools are limited and turnover is high. The LEARN framework helps administrators ensure their training enables even first-time substitute educators to open a lesson plan, identify the literacy objectives embedded within it, and implement classroom routines with fidelity, regardless of their familiarity with the specific content or grade level.
Implementing Standards-Based Substitute Teacher Preparation Nationwide
Effective implementation of this (or any) framework begins with adopting a competency-based approach that mirrors the standards-based instruction schools expect for students. Just as they would not accept vague learning objectives for their students, administrators cannot accept vague expectations for their substitute educators. The LEARN framework provides clear, measurable competencies that can guide both training design and performance evaluation.
Training must move beyond basic logistics—where to find supplies, how to take attendance, what to do in emergencies—to include substantive preparation in instructional practices. Substitute educators need to understand how children learn to read, how to support diverse learners, and how to maintain the complex routines that characterize effective literacy instruction.
This preparation should include hands-on practice with common literacy routines. Substitute educators should experience guided reading groups from the teacher's perspective, understand how to facilitate literacy centers, and practice implementing intervention protocols. They should also learn to recognize signs of reading difficulty and understand appropriate response procedures.
Professional development must be ongoing rather than a one-time orientation. While the bulk of this training should occur before hiring, opportunities to deepen learning should exist through ongoing development. Just as teachers participate in continuous learning, substitute educators benefit from regular updates on instructional practices, student needs, and district initiatives. This support helps substitute teachers build confidence and competence over time.
Districts should also consider creating mentorship programs that pair experienced substitute educators with newcomers. These relationships provide practical support and help new substitute educators navigate the complexities of different schools and classrooms. Mentors can share strategies for maintaining literacy routines, adapting instruction for diverse learners, and communicating effectively with school staff.
The Path Forward: Making Every Substitute Educator a Literacy Advocate
The evidence is clear: well-prepared substitute educators can maintain instructional continuity and support student learning across content areas. When substitute educators understand their role as literacy advocates, they become powerful allies in our efforts to ensure every child develops strong reading and writing skills.
This transformation requires commitment from district leadership, school administrators, and the broader education community. They must invest in substitute educator preparation with the same intentionality they bring to teacher professional development. They must recognize that literacy learning cannot be interrupted by personnel changes and that every adult in the school has a role in supporting students' reading success.
The stakes are too high for anything less than everyone's best effort. In a nation where at least 49,000 teacher positions remain vacant, 365,000 positions are filled by underqualified educators, and the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress shows reading scores continuing to decline with fewer than a third of students reading at proficient levels, we cannot afford to treat substitute teaching as an afterthought. We must elevate the profession, provide comprehensive preparation, and ensure that every substitute who enters a classroom is equipped to protect and advance student learning.
When a child sees any adult walk through the classroom door, the day should feel seamless. Vocabulary is still introduced. Discussion is still rich and inclusive. They can still work their way through a rich combination of literacy centers. By pairing clear standards with intentional literacy-focused training, districts nationwide can transform their substitute workforce from "warm bodies" into skilled educators who protect every student's learning momentum. America's children deserve nothing less than substitute educators who understand their critical role in literacy development and possess the tools to fulfill that responsibility with excellence.
Dr. Stephanie Wall is the director of learning services at Kelly Education. She can be reached via LinkedIn.