Flexible Pay Can Help Solve the Substitute Shortage

Field Trip Podcast

Portman Wills believes money is key to solving the substitute shortage — even if districts can’t raise substitute teacher wages.

Substitute teachers want to be in the classroom, teaching and impacting lives. But finances — and more specifically, waiting anywhere from 2-4 weeks for payday — can force an uncomfortable choice. In a world where people can deliver groceries, drive for a rideshare service, or even work retail and get paid the same day, substitute teaching may take a backseat to other employment options.

Portman is a co-founder of Wagestream, which allows employers to offer flexible pay and enable employees to access earned wages immediately. In this podcast, he and Emily Trant, Wagestream’s Head of Impact and Inclusion, share some research about flexible pay and what it means for school districts who want to encourage substitutes to accept more jobs.

They discuss:

• The explosion of the gig economy and the impact it has on substitute teaching

• How unsteady income makes waiting weeks for payday difficult or impossible for some substitute teachers

• What flexible pay can mean for school districts

Dig Deeper:

• “Unlocking the American Pay Cycle”: A research report from Wagestream examining the behavioral and wellbeing impact of offering workers a flexible pay cycle

• Frontline Education & Wagestream: Revolutionize pay for substitute teachers right within Absence Management

• Case Study: Recruiting Substitutes with Flexible Pay: How Azle ISD uses Wagestream through Frontline’s Absence Management to support substitute teachers, raise fill rates, and expand its substitute pool.