TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — According to Austin ISD officials, the district has been getting an average of 500 requests for substitute teachers for the last couple weeks.
To help meet this high demand of teachers, Travis County Judge Andy Brown stepped in and taught English to 10th- and 11th-graders at Eastside Early College High School on Monday.
“My plan is to do this a few times at whatever school they need me at,” said Brown.
Austin ISD has lowered its requirements for substitute teachers and increased the pay. The district is accepting subs with fewer than 60 college credit hours, and they're paying some teachers up to $225 a day.
“At some point, because of COVID, we're just not going to have a teacher in every classroom if things keep up this way,” said Judge Brown.
Brown said this volunteer experience taught him the value of teachers in our society.
“To do this as a full-time career, I think it's something we need to reward a lot more,” he said.
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