Need for Substitute Teachers Continues Across Nebraska

Local substitutes can work beyond 90-day limit with state approval

Lincoln, Neb. — The need for substitute teachers continues across Nebraska, and school districts can request additional days for some substitutes who would otherwise be limited to 90 full-time days in a school year.

The Nebraska Department of Education says it is aware of the continued substitute teacher shortage this school year. Districts that demonstrate a need can request authorization for local substitute permit holders to work beyond the 90-day limit.

Lincoln Public Schools has already made that request.

Dr. Jenny Fundus, an LPS human resources supervisor who works with substitutes, said there are days when the district cannot find someone to fill every open position.

“So unfortunately, that does happen,” Fundus said. “And so, when that happens, we do a variety of different things. We ask our teachers to give up their plan time and get paid for giving up their plan time and then to cover a class.”

At the elementary level, Fundus said that can also mean splitting students among other classrooms. Administrators sometimes step in to help cover as well.

LPS currently has 692 substitutes, down from 837 during the 2025-26 school year. Of the current substitutes, 305 are working under local substitute permits, meaning the 90-day limit applies to nearly half of the district’s substitute workforce.

Fundus said LPS wants to keep those substitutes in its schools if they are willing to continue working beyond the limit.

“We have some really great substitutes that are local subs that are willing to work past that 90 days,” Fundus said. “And so we want them in our schools to be with our kids and helping make sure that instruction stays the same and consistent for kids.”

Fundus said substitutes are essential not only for keeping classes covered, but also for maintaining instruction when a teacher is absent.

“We need subs to do school every day, right, because we need a responsible, professional adult in the classroom, not only providing that instruction to students, but also being that positive role model,” Fundus said.

Some of the district’s harder-to-fill positions are at schools on the outer edges of LPS, Fundus said. Finding substitutes for teachers who will be gone for an extended period can also be challenging.

LPS says it is continuing to look for more people willing to work as substitutes.