Feb 17, 2008 - In Guam, two substitute teachers, age 21 and 18, were arrested for supplying alcohol to four middle school students. Their reason? There was an altercation and they wanted to diffuse the situation. An enterprising reporter wondered about just exactly who could become a substitute and what qualifications were necessary.
Being a sub only requires a high school education, no training or college is required. The Guam Public School System acting administrator Lisa Nathan said they wanted to give people the benefit of the doubt which is why even a criminal conviction is no barrier to being a substitute. The reason for keeping requirements low is to allows students to "test the waters first" to see if they like teaching. And it's cheap. Hiring someone without any college costs about $9 an hour. They couldn't afford more.
Half of the substitutes, about 500, have no college or training to be in the classroom.
According to GPSS acting Chief Financial Officer Ray Miranda, about $926,000 of the school system's annual budget was set aside to pay for substitute teachers for fiscal 2008, of which $318,000 had been spent by Jan. 31.In comparison, a private school does not accept those without some college.
ONLINE RESOURCE: (at story) See Comparison list of requirements in states for their substitutes. The source is the National Education Association (NEA.) Kansas: "Pilot plan regulation from the Standards Board allows five school districts to let the least-qualified applicants be called to meet availability problem. "
Feb 27 - It took long enough, but the Guam Public School System fired both Billie Jean Reyes and 23-year-old Marla Jean Reyes.
GPSS also terminated the services of 19-year-old Patrick Santos, a teacher's assistant from the Untalan Middle School, who was arrested last Saturday for allegedly having sexual relations with a 14-year-old female student
