Substantial Classrooms

substantial is a nonprofit that’s improving the substitute teaching experience for everyone: kids, subs, district staff, parents, teachers. on average, students spend one whole year of their k-12 education with substitute teachers, but educators say it often feels like lost time. we believe kids deserve more than a warm body and a worksheet; they deserve someone substantial: a caring, trained sub who can make the most of class time. our work is based on partnerships with school districts, non-profits and individuals committed to exploring new opportunities and ensuring our most valuable resource--student time--is used in the best way possible. we offer consulting services, grounded in data analysis and process improvement, with embedded professional development for staff along the way. in our design lab, we experiment with new ideas to help break out of old patterns and redesign the way districts recruit, train and support substitute teachers. in may 2018, substantial was selected for