The average child will spend more than a year of his K-12 education with a substitute teacher, according to Utah State's Substitute Teaching Institute. That's one year of a child's education that is mostly controlled by noncertified teachers who get paid less than burger flippers.

Since school started in September, Alpine School District has had an average of 54.5 teachers absent every day in the district's 67 schools. On teacher conference days, like Nov. 17, the number jumps to nearly 100.

On a good day, a child might get a certified teacher. But sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.

"There are some days when we have some classes not filled by the sub system," said Jerri Mortensen, Alpine School District spokeswoman. "In that case, the principal has to get a sub in the class. It might be a playground supervisor, a PTA parent or a student teacher."

Mortensen said wages are based on skills needed and what surrounding districts are paying. The final decision rests with the district's board of education.

"It's a market study based on skills required to be a substitute," she said.

Well, if pay is any indicator, substitute teaching is a no-skill job, right? No way, says Beth Ellis Le, a former Orem Elementary teacher and Alpine School District sub.

"The energy and time that it takes is astounding," she said.

A Utah native, Le recently moved back to her home state from Texas where she was being paid $75 a day for subbing. At Alpine she gets a meager $47, or $5.88 an hour.

"Opening that paycheck is very frustrating," said Le, who's been subbing for six years in Texas and one year in Utah. "I need to bring in money for my family and this is not the way."

What's more, her out-of-state license isn't honored by the district and her Utah license has expired.

"Do you know what it would cost me in tuition to take classes to renew my certificate?" she said. "Mega bucks. And the return is nothing. A few more dollars a day."

She's right. Certified teachers only get 10 more dollars a day -- $57. And retired teachers, $67.

Le said she absolutely loves teaching. In fact, she thinks it's her only talent.

But she's looking elsewhere for employment.

"People will always fill those spots, but they're going to be the less capable," she said. "The pay needs to be enticing, or at least practical."

Of Alpine's pool of 1,200 substitutes, just less than 200 are certified -- the remainder are uncertified, required to have only a high school diploma and be at least 21 years old, said John Spencer, Alpine School District administrator of human resources.

Short-term substitute positions are filled by these high school graduates. Le said, as a mother, that scares her.

"My kids have come home from school and said, 'We didn't do anything because we had a substitute.' What a waste, I don't send my child to school to do nothing. That's just disappointing and sad."

Alpine School District and many other districts require and offer a substitute teaching training session.

The Substitute Teaching Institute, a federally sponsored think tank at Utah State University, believes training, not necessarily education, is key to a successful sub.

"We maintain that even though they have a college education doesn't necessarily mean they can manage a classroom," said Barbara Haines, development coordinator at STI.

The 10-year-old institute, the only one of its kind, is dedicated to substitute research and training. In a 1997 national survey of substitutes, STI found that 90 percent of substitute teachers did not receive skills training of three hours or more.

STI director Geoffrey Smith said he thinks that number hasn't changed much, but he's doing all he can to change it.

"We send teachers to school for four years," Smith said. "We need to make sure their replacements have training as well."

STI's training is a minimum of eight hours and teaches classroom management and teaching strategies.

"We train skills for teaching strategies," Haines said. "If you're an English major in a chemistry class, and you don't have teaching strategies, how effective can you be?"

Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association, said there was a day when subs were considered "hired baby sitters."

But, he said, "those days are gone."

"With today's focus on standardized test scores, schools are taking a closer look at who's teaching children when the permanent teacher is out," he said. "Unfortunately, the essence of the job itself is the biggest recruitment hurdle. Low pay, poor training, lack of benefits and inadequate professional support reduces the number of available substitute teachers."

Kate McNeil can be reached at 344-2549 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Utah's minimum wage: $5.15

Noncertified substitute teacher: $5.88/hour

McDonald's crew: $7/hour

Certified substitute teacher: $7.13/hour

Papa Johns driver: $10-15/hour

First-year teacher with a B.A.: $18.61/hour (based on 180 school-day year)

Teacher with a B.A. and 12 years experience: $29.77

Substitutes: District by district

Nebo

Requirements: Must be at least 19 years old to sub in the elementary schools and at least 21 years old to sub in the secondary schools. Must have proof of high school graduation or a college transcript.

Wages: $45/day for noncertified sub, $50/day for noncertified with district training, $60-65/day after 25th day of subbing, $55/day for certified teachers

Provo

Requirements: Must be at least 18 years old with high school diploma. College degree preferred.

Wages: $46/day for noncertified teachers, $54 for certified, and after 45 cumulative days $7 more each day, after 65 days, $8 more

Alpine

Requirements: Must be at least 21 years old with high school diploma. District training required.

Wages: $47/day for noncertified, $57/day for certified, $67/day for retired teachers