UW Presses Students into Service

To address the shortage of substitute teachers in Wyoming’s K-12 schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Wyoming is encouraging its students to fill that role during the break between UW’s fall and spring semesters. Students in UW’s College of Education last week received a letter from Governor Mark Gordon and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow asking the students who are certified as substitute teachers – several hundred upperclassmen are in that category – to consider serving their local K-12 school districts in this capacity. Additionally, UW encourages all of its students who have at least 60 hours of college credit – the minimum required to be a substitute teacher – to pursue certification from Wyoming’s Professional Teaching Standards Board. UW students who serve as substitute teachers are eligible for a service credit from the university, in addition to the wages paid by local school districts.