American Education Week

November 11-17, 2007

Substitute Educators Day: History

Substitute Educators Day is a result of NEA Representative Assembly's New Business Item (NBI) 2003-41. The purpose of this NBI is to increase appreciation of school substitute employees. These professional educators provide a critical link in the education of public schoolchildren by serving as a bridge to provide continued quality education to children in the temporary absence of regular classroom educators.

Substitute Educators Day seeks to:

• Increase respect for substitute education employees
• Advocate for all school substitutes to receive wage and health benefits for those who work most to all of a full school year
• Receive genuine, continual professional development in the art of substitute teaching
• Provide a reminder for school staff about effective practices to prepare for, welcome, and support substitute educators

Substitute Educators Day is observed on Friday during American Education Week.