Why is the staff leaving?

The pandemic has changed the American workforce by causing workers to make career changes, and the education field is no exception. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that there were 460,000 open jobs in education in July of 2021, which is more than twice the number of openings available in July 2020. Many teachers on the brink of burnout or close to retirement chose to step down from teaching during last year’s virtual learning, leaving many classrooms without a teacher at the beginning of this school year. 

Bus drivers are also leaving in record numbers. The BLS reports that school bus drivers made an average of $15-17 an hour in 2018, which is significantly below a living wage. In addition, many bus drivers have cited concerns about COVID-19 safety, especially in states and districts that do not require students to wear masks on the bus. 

How will teacher and bus driver shortages impact your child?

The effects of teacher and bus driver shortages are far-reaching, even if your child’s classroom has a teacher and their bus has a driver. Teacher shortages mean that schools have to find someone to cover empty classrooms.Because substitute teachers are very difficult to find, that often means that  teacher assistants or other instructional support personnel must set aside their normal  duties to fill in.. This may mean that your child’s teacher is teaching the whole day alone with no breaks, resulting in burnout. 

Similarly, bus driver shortages have resulted in substitute bus drivers having to fill in at the last minute, and in some cases, buses are left without a  driver at all. This often means that buses arrive at school significantly late, causing students to miss valuable instructional time. Even if your child does not ride the bus, the influx of late students may cause your child’s teacher to have to review or reteach content to make sure the bus riders are caught up. 

How can you help?

Although these shortages can be discouraging, we’ve found a few ways to help during these difficult times: 

• Use Piggyback or other bus alternatives. Piggyback is a new app that helps connect families for rideshares and carpooling opportunities. It’s a safe way to build a carpooling network that will take the strain off bus drivers and schools. Check out their website here
• Volunteer in your child’s classroom if possible. Now that children aged 5–11 are eligible for COVID vaccinations, some school districts are opening their schools to parent volunteers. If you are comfortable and your schedule allows, offer to volunteer in your child’s classroom. Teachers could really use the additional help, especially if their support staff is serving as substitutes for other classes. 
• Be kind! Remember that everyone is doing the best they can. It can be frustrating, but try to be patient with late buses or a teacher who takes a while to respond to an email. A little kindness can go a long way! 

Talking Points

With so many changes taking place, keeping an open line of communication is key.  Here are a few ways to start conversations with parents and teachers about implementing these strategies:. 

• To other parents: 
  • Have you heard about this new app called Piggyback? We can connect for carpooling and avoid late buses! 
  • What is your family doing with the bus driver shortages? How can we work together to make things easier?
  • It seems like our teacher is really spread thin this year. I’m connecting with  parents to help support her. Are you interested in joining this network?
• To your child’s teacher: 
  • How have these teacher shortages affected you and the school? What can I do that would be most helpful for you?
  • What does your day-to-day schedule look like this year? Which time of the day is most hectic? Would you like support during that time?

Hang in there, connect with other parents, and keep an eye out for our parent webinar with the founder of Piggyback in mid-December!