Bring in the Subs: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Substitute Teacher Labor Market in Michigan

This study focuses on the substitute labor market in Michigan and how substitutes navigate it using a survey of a random sample of the population of substitute teachers and interviews with district administrators, principals, and substitute teachers. Leaders in varied locales and contexts report increasing problems with substitute coverage and teacher absenteeism and leveraged higher pay and community connections to address it. Substitute survey and interview data find that the most important factors in attracting and retaining substitute teachers are pay, flexibility, working conditions, the psychological rewards of teaching, and support or respect. Findings point to a segmented substitute labor market, with highly varied preferences for flexibility and pay, and suggest important parallels and differences compared with teacher labor markets.