Whereas, many schools in the New York City Department of Education have had a difficult time finding substitute teachers and substitute paraprofessionals,

Whereas, the DOE has told schools that they are unable to nominate substitutes if they have not used Sub Central a sufficient number of times,

Whereas, the DOE does not mandate that schools use Sub Central, Whereas, the pandemic has created a myriad of reasons for teachers and paraprofessionals to be absent,

Whereas, certain schools have additional difficulty finding subs because of transportation and other issues,

Whereas, the inability of a school to either nominate or attract substitutes results in the overutilization of emergency coverages and lost preps, which in turn leads to teacher and paraprofessional burnout,

Whereas, the inability of a school to either nominate or attract substitutes also results in schools illegally and unethically pulling paraprofessionals from their mandated assignments and ICT partners from their classrooms, therefore be it

Resolved, that the UFT calls on the DOE to allow schools more flexibility in the nomination of substitute teachers and paraprofessionals during the ongoing pandemic, and be it further

Resolved, that the UFT push the DOE to consider the possibility of a Hard-to-Staff differential for substitutes serving schools that have had difficulty filling substitute positions.