Strategic Data Project Convening 2019

In this roundtable, we will explore the effects of using stipends to improve substitute teacher fill rates in Chicago Public Schools. CPS has suffered from an average substitute fill rate of less than 80%. As of last school year, there were 1,600 requests per day and over 2,500 active subs at any given time, yet 300 unfilled requests on any given day. To help boost fill rates, high-need schools were identified and substitutes now receive stipends to take jobs at these schools during this school year.
While the stipends have shown promising results thus far, they have also created unintended consequences, and revealed larger challenges. Come contribute to a discussion involving how data is best used to identify problems and solutions, the role of teacher absences and substitute teaching, and whether financial incentives are an effective way to change behavior.