In Short Supply

Every jurisdiction in Canada currently faces challenges with the recruitment and retention of supply teachers and New Brunswick is no exception. The challenges include: variation in hiring practices and on-site work expectations; electronic booking platform; wages and contracts; geography/travel; communication with itinerant members. The New Brunswick Teachers’ Association activated a Supply Teacher Committee in 2011, when supply teachers were legislated to be members of the Association and since that time, no coordinated stakeholder plan to address the challenges has been developed and implemented. In brief, the shortages and the challenges continue to exist and are exacerbated by COVID-19. The Association, in conjunction with the Supply Teacher Committee would like to work with experts in processing and planning generative /innovative thinking to arrive at a solutions-focused proposal to address the primary challenges; the final outcome would then be to share the proposal with stakeholders and begin to implement solutions