Cobb County School District initiates emergency plan to cover teachers out because of COVID-19

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned that there are so many teachers absent in Cobb County, the school district has launched an emergency plan to fill the void.

School leaders told Channel 2′s Chris Jose that they hope to attract substitutes by paying them more money. The district will pay $189 a day for substitute teachers starting Sept. 6.

”It’s dangerous in the schools because of COVID,” said Connie Jackson of the Cobb County Association of Educators.

The new rate for substitute teachers is expected to last through May 2022.

”We’re really experiencing a historic low in the number of subs, and an enormous high with the amount of teachers are out,” Jackson said.

For the last month, Allison Feldman’s son has been in and out of the classroom due to COVID-19 exposures. She has noticed teachers are out, too.

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“I feel so sad for all of the kids that are going through this because I know my son is not the only one,” Feldman said.

The district’s chief human resources officer said in an email to staff:

”To better serve our schools during high levels of unfilled teacher absences, we are mobilizing members of our district’s leadership team to serve schools that are in highest need. This temporary Emergency Support Substitute Plan will provide staffing support and keep schools open for face-to-face instruction during times when staffing becomes critical to the daily operations of the school.“

”It’s mind blowing to me that this is where we’re at,” one teacher told Jose, asking not to be identified.

”It’s a desperate move that I’ve never heard Cobb take,” Jackson said.

The email continued: “Your emergency/temporary substitute assignment will take priority over normal job duties and responsibilities.”

Cobb County School District has 113 schools.

“I mean, it could be 300 positions a day that needs subs, and they just aren’t there,” Feldman said.

Jose asked the district for a comment about the internal email to district staffers. So far, he has not received a response.

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