Instead of substitute teachers, Rio Rancho students may see principals, librarians or secretaries teaching their class if the teacher is absent.

Rio Rancho Public Schools Executive Director of Human Resources Sue Passell released a memo saying that, in an effort to address budget concerns, it’s essential all schools fill substitute needs from within rather than use substitutes from the RRPS sub list, effective Dec. 1.

RRPS spokesperson Kim Vesely said even she or Superintendent Sue Cleveland could be called upon to teach for a day or two. She explained that many district employees are licensed teachers and can enter the classroom. “We have highly qualified people that aren’t in the classroom on a regular basis,” Vesely said. “We can rotate them in to save money.”

She said the district has already saved $250,000 by reducing the need for substitute teachers and said the district anticipates saving more than $850,000 during this fiscal year. The decision is part of the district’s plan to slash $4 million from its operating budget.

The district spends roughly $1.5 million a year on substitutes and it is one area they claim can be trimmed.

Not everyone is happy with the plan. Andy Lotrich, who represents the Rio Rancho Public Schools Employees Union, sent a letter to Passell requesting the plan be rescinded. He said the district’s actions violate the Public Employee Bargaining Act by attempting to change unilaterally the previous procedures, terms and conditions of employment prior to informing the union.

The positions that are approved to serve as substitutes include educational assistants, secretaries, librarians, counselors, educational technicians, site specialists, assistant principals and principals. Additionally, transition specialists, security, academy heads, the athletic coordinator and activities director will be allowed to substitute for the mid-high and high school.

The thought of having unqualified personnel in the classroom is particularly unnerving to the union.

“Included in this rotation, the district has included security and social workers, as well as other bargaining unit personnel,” Lotrich wrote in his letter to Passell. “However, the impact this decision would have on the education learning environment would be severe. This decision would not only impact the one-on-one instructional time of the students, but this decision would also impact the delivery of instruction.”

Lotrich said the union supports the use of assistant principals, transition specialists, site specialists and other district administrators to cover the classes. However, the union does not support the use of educational assistants, secretaries, bookkeepers, registrars, data clerks, librarians, counselors, security, academy heads or social workers to be taken from their regularly-assigned duties to act as substitute teachers.

“By removing these employees from their job classifications, the district would potentially be increasing the amount of overtime necessary for these employees to complete their regularly-assigned tasks,” Lotrich wrote. “Also, the use of the above-mentioned job classifications would impact their daily breaks and their lunch schedules.”

Lotrich equated what the district wants to do to babysitting.

“The union supports strict licensing requirements of substitutes to protect the learning environment of our students,” he wrote. “Not just anyone can be placed in a classroom environment and be expected to continue and to facilitate learning. Our students deserve more than just baby sitters. Our students deserve the best substitute teachers available.”

Earlier in the school year, Superintendent of Schools Sue Cleveland encouraged teachers to have a better attendance rate. She asked teachers to avoid calling in if necessary and to limit attendance of outside professional professional development conferences and training.

Passell said the district will probably follow the plan until the end of the school year.

Substitute teachers are paid between $75 and $95 a day.

She said the decision is strictly economics and not a reflection on the work of substitute teachers.

“This is not to be seen as a slight to our substitute teachers,” Passell said. “We have a great sub pool and they have done a terrific job and continue to do a terrific job for us.”

Salaried employees will not be paid extra for substitute teaching. Hourly employees will be paid the same hourly wage for substitute teaching as they get paid for their regular duties.

Passell said the district will rely heavily on educational assistants, who are paid by the hour.

“They are in the classrooms every day and are the ones most knowledgeable about the curriculum and the process teachers’ use,” Passell said. “They understand the verbal and non-verbal cues the children are already acclimated too. They are great employees and are valued employees in the district.”

In order to teach in the classroom, the educational assistants must obtain a substitute teaching license. Passell said that won’t be a problem because it’s usually a matter of filling out paper work and taking a few classes.