(ARA) - The school year is in full swing, and a lot of work is going on behind the scenes. One of the most important details administrators deal with is making sure they have an appropriate sized pool of qualified and prepared substitute teachers in place throughout the year.

Substitute teachers impact the lives of millions of children every day. They are the individuals who fill in when a full-time teacher is out sick, on vacation or taking part in professional development training. According to a study done by Utah State University, they are in the classroom more often than you may think. The study suggests that one full year of a student's K-12 education will have been taught by substitute teachers by the time they graduate from high school.

"Substitute teachers are part of a mission critical workforce. Without them, there is a significant disruption to the continuity of the learning process -- something our achievement-driven educational system cannot afford. Given the importance of their role, it is essential that we understand the key aspects of recruiting and retaining quality substitute teachers," says Scott Smith, vice president, Kelly Educational Staffing, employer of more than 18,000 substitute teachers across the country. His company recently polled more than 2,500 substitute teachers and found there are a few simple things school districts can do to attract and retain quality substitute teachers to their classrooms.

When asked, "What is the most important thing a full-time teacher can do to prepare for a substitute teacher to take over their classroom?" Here's how the substitute teachers responded:

56 percent -- Provide complete lesson plans
24 percent -- Provide enough planned work to keep students engaged
11 percent -- Establish rules for students when the regular teacher is out
5 percent -- Have established classroom rules and discipline procedures posted or available
3 percent -- Provide a seating chart of the students
1 percent - Provide the names of responsible students in the classroom that can assist a substitute

When asked, "What would help you most to improve your substitute teaching skills?" they responded as follows:

42 percent -- Feedback regarding my performance (strengths and weaknesses) in the classroom
14 percent -- More time in the classroom
12 percent -- Online training courses
11 percent -- In-person training courses
9 percent -- Mentoring opportunities
7 percent -- Additional education (i.e. bachelor's or master's degree)
6 percent -- Additional reading materials on substitute teaching

"Our substitute teachers have told us how important feedback is to them, but our experience shows there is value in taking it a step further," says Smith. "Recognition programs for substitute teachers that acknowledge the outstanding contributions they make to the classroom year after year create tremendous goodwill and employee satisfaction."

How do such programs work? Take a cue from Kelly Educational Staffing, which has both internal and external employee recognition programs in place. During National Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week, the company places banners recognizing their subs in prominent places at partner schools. Twice each school year, Kelly sponsors a Substitute Teacher of the Semester Award Program to recognize substitute teachers across the U.S. for outstanding performance. Additionally, throughout the school year, teachers earn points for such things as receiving positive feedback from school administrators, principals and teachers, for taking last minute assignments, continuing skills enhancement and more. As points are earned, teachers can exchange them for a variety of merchandise or gift certificates.

Smith points out employee recognition is a win-win for both employees and employers alike. "From the employee perspective, being recognized in a meaningful way clearly communicates their contributions are valued and it gives them a sense of self worth. For the employer, providing well-deserved recognition demonstrates appreciation for outstanding performance, which enables them to consistently attract and retain quality employees."

To learn more about Kelly Educational Staffing and how your school district can strengthen its current substitute teacher program, visit www.kellyeducationalstaffing.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent