Every school day in southern Illinois, building principals and secretaries start making phone calls. A teacher is out, and someone needs to cover the classroom. It sounds simple. It isn't. The shortage of qualified substitute teachers has become one of the most persistent challenges facing the 24 school districts and two special education cooperatives served by the Regional Office of Education #30 — and the ripple effects reach further than most people realize.

"The results of having a short list of reliable substitute teachers means you now have more internal substituting going on," says Matthew Hickam, who oversees the ROE's substitute teacher program. 

When there's no one available, a teacher on a plan period gets pulled to cover — losing preparation and grading time. And when teachers can't leave the building at all, professional development gets skipped. "We'd like to send our teacher to the training," Hickam says, "but we don't have anyone to fill their spot when they're gone."

The ROE maintains a region-wide substitute teacher list available to all districts, updated in real time and distributed monthly. But the list needs more names — and that's where you come in.

Becoming a substitute teacher is more accessible than many think. Those with a bachelor's degree apply for a standard license through the Illinois State Board of Education — no exam required, just a background check ($55) and health exam, plus a $50 application and $60 registration fee. Those with an associate's degree or who pass a qualifying assessment can apply for a short-term substitute license ($25, no registration fee), which requires a one-day ROE training at no cost. All applicants must complete a free online mandated reporter certification. Fingerprinting is available at the ROE's three offices: Murphysboro, Pinckneyville, and Anna.

As for what makes a good substitute: follow the lesson plan left by the teacher, be flexible, maintain classroom presence, and genuinely enjoy being around kids. "Every school has a little handful of go-to subs who are really super subs," Hickam says. "That core group has gotten much smaller. We need people to come in and give it a shot." Pay varies by district — the current regional average is about $118 per day — and substitutes can limit themselves to specific schools or grade levels. Advance notice varies; some calls come days ahead, others at 5:30 in the morning.

A summer training session is being planned for new substitute teachers on July 8th. For details, visit the ROE's website (www.roe30.org) or contact the office at any of its three locations.

Last year, approximately 1,400 students in the five counties served by ROE #30 were identified as experiencing homelessness under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act — the federal law, originally passed in 1987, that guarantees educational rights to children in unstable housing situations. Statewide, that number was nearly 50,000. And the numbers have risen every year since COVID.

Sherri Schimpf, the ROE's Regional McKinney-Vento Liaison, is quick to point out that "homeless" under this law is broader than most assume. It covers families doubled up with relatives after a financial crisis, homes without electricity or running water, overcrowded living situations, families in shelters or fleeing domestic violence, students couch-surfing without a permanent address, and families in cars or mobile trailers. Eligibility turns on three questions: Is the living arrangement fixed? Adequate? Regular — meaning the child goes to the same place each night?

Students identified under McKinney-Vento have specific protections. Schools must enroll them within 24 to 48 hours, even without documentation like birth certificates or immunization records. Children displaced from their home district have the right to remain in their school of origin, with transportation costs shared between districts. Students who change schools mid-course must receive partial credit for work already completed. And high school students who are unaccompanied homeless youth can file the FAFSA without using their parents' income — a detail that can significantly affect college financial aid.

Schimpf manages the ROE's McKinney-Vento grant funding, which can be used for clothing, shoes, hygiene products, school supplies, extermination costs, and other barriers to school success — but not food, rent, or temporary housing, which are handled by other agencies. Each fall, she runs a warm clothing drive; each spring, a shoe drive. "When kids get those new shoes, they're so proud of them," she says. "It's about making sure they're on an even playing field with everyone else." That might mean a school spirit T-shirt on spirit day, or a few dollars for the book fair. Small things. Not small to the kids.

Every district has a trained McKinney-Vento liaison. Teachers, bus drivers, cooks, and other staff are encouraged to report signs of housing instability — chronic absences, students sleeping in class, wearing the same clothes daily, or mentioning uncertain living arrangements. For community members who may need resources, the website sihelp.com offers a searchable, regularly updated directory of local assistance agencies across southern Illinois.