Due to the alarming shortage of staff and substitute teachers in schools statewide, the state board of education voted to temporarily lower the minimum requirements to work as a substitute teacher in Kansas.

Previously, subs had to have a minimum of 60 college credits. However, now they just need to be 18 years or older with a high school diploma and pass a background check.

Math teacher Dennis Burns has some concerns about these new requirements.

“I would think that at 18 and no college credit, it’s like I got a high school kid watching high school kids,” Burns said. “I’d be really concerned. It would probably depend on maturity level.”

Burns would make some exceptions, though.

“If they were subbing maybe in a different school than what they graduated, like if a Mulvane graduate came here,” Burns said. “I’d probably feel a little better about that than having a Derby High (graduate) from last year sub in the building immediately after being here.”

This change is only supposed to be temporary, as a last resort, and isn’t meant for long-term substitute positions.