Copy of Article published by Utah State University (January, 2000 – Emphasis in bold is ours) Print to Legal size paper.

Automated Substitute Notification

Technology Improves Sub Dispatching

By Chuck Bernasconi

Each school day 5% to 10% or more of public school teachers are absent and require certified substitutes. The majority of absences are employee reasons such as personal leave/illness or family illness. District absences include release time for training or special needs. The process of contacting and dispatching substitutes before each school day starts, requires unique district personnel who work under heavy time pressure. With a national shortage of substitutes, neighboring districts often have to "compete" for the best available substitutes. Districts that efficiently notify substitutes usually fill their absences first.

Automated systems - PC to IVR

Several companies have developed products designed to automate the reporting of absences and contacting of substitutes. In 1986 CSI, Inc. developed a PC based system that helps dispatchers enter absences and using a speed phone dialer, contact substitutes with one key. The system also generates reports automatically. In 1988 TSSI, Inc. (www.tssint.com) developed the first automated interactive voice response (IVR) system to both report absences and call/assign substitutes. IVR systems operate 24/7 without directly using a dispatcher. Several other companies have since developed or attempted to develop IVR systems including AT&T (www.att.com), CRS, Inc. (crs@brodart.com), CSI, Inc. and Unisys (www.unisys.com). Currently over 1,000 districts use automated calling systems in the U.S. and Canada.

IVR systems work on multiple phone lines and originally cost between $20,000 to over $100,000. Costs include setup, computer hardware/software, on-site training, voice boards, LAN and WAN networking to school sites, and annual maintenance/support fees. These systems use dedicated phone lines for reporting absences and notify substitutes individually from a computer generated list. Substitutes are offered jobs and then decide to accept, reject or ignore each job offer within a short time period. Users listen to voice prompts and respond by pressing a series of phone keys from a touch tone phone. IVR systems are limited as to the number of people that may report and receive absence information at any one time. These systems require extensive on-site equipment, setup and staff training. The initial capitalization costs are often out of the budget range for many school districts.

New technology - the Internet

The latest generation of substitute information technology utilizes the Internet for automated staffing. Substitute Online (www.subdemo.com) patent-pending, allows districts and teachers to report absences, notify and dispatch substitutes and monitor information from any location and at any time through the web. Accessing secured information linked through the district home page requires a logon code, web browser such as Netscape or Internet Explorer and a web browser device.

The original browser device was a PC utilizing an Internet service provider (ISP) such as CompuServe or America Online. Today the Internet revolution is exploding in all areas of our society as companies rush to develop new devices while ISPs work to provide public access to the Internet from home, office or anywhere. Some ISPs and PC makers will also waive fees if users are willing to be exposed to web advertising. WebTV, new wireless cell phones, interactive pagers and hand held palm devices are other emerging examples for web access. Many libraries have computers with free Internet access for use to the public while companies such as Burger King, Starbucks and Kinko's Printing are also using web access to attract customers to their businesses.

Advantages of the Internet

How does this new information technology improve substitute contact and dispatching? The answer is in "distributed technology" and web cost efficiency. Absence information is distributed instantaneously when contacting substitutes via the net. While a dispatcher, or IVR multiple line phone system, calls one substitute at a time, the Internet instantly notifies all qualified (not rejected) and available substitutes. Instead of listening to each job and writing down lesson plans or directions, substitutes view a list of qualified jobs as they become available and may print out details, including optional lesson plans, with one key. The first qualified substitute to submit a specific job request is assigned that job and immediately receives a confirmation number. Individual summaries of job assignments may also be accessed by the substitute to reconcile their payroll records and review future confirmed assignments. Lesson plans may be updated by the teacher while optional email allows direct communicate on between the assigned substitute and absent employee.

Internet access - efficient and cost effective

With or without district assistance, teachers may use the net to report a new absence, enter detailed lesson plans, request and/or reject specific substitutes and update their personal information, from school, home or any where. Using their logon code with as few as three clicks, a new absence may be submitted. Again, absence information is immediately available to all qualified substitutes. Requested subs are emailed and/or paged about job openings. With an optional wireless mini-browser device, information is "pushed" automatically to the substitute and allows immediate acceptance/refusal of the assignment. The system also holds jobs for requested subs until a specified time period before school starts. Substitutes rejected by a school or employee never view those open jobs from their browser. If the absence is district initiated i.e., workshops/seminars, districts may monitor how many people are attending and limit employee absences with an authorization code.

Principals and office managers also need to view what is happening in "real time" at their specific school. The Internet allows access to that information from any web browser and at any time with the school logon code. Schools may reject specific substitutes, enter absences on behalf of teachers that need assistance or don't have web access, and assign preferred subs if a job is not filled through the Internet. As with IVR systems, summary reports are available on each school and employee including both reasons and days of the week employees are most often absent.

Compared to IVR systems, web costs are significantly lower. The Substitute Online program and data files are located on a central web server in a remote and 24/7 monitored location. Utilizing a small fee schedule based on usage, i.e. number of daily absences, large capitalization costs for basic setup and hardware are eliminated. Costs are proportionate to the district size. Web access is through a logon code and any web browser (client) computer, or other device currently owned by the district or employees/substitutes. Teachers and subs without web access may still contact and be contacted by district staff with a standard phone call. Dedicated phone lines at the district office are not required. It is recommended that districts use existing high-speed access lines for transferring data. Staff training and online help may also be through the Internet. Using an online demo/tutorial, teachers and substitutes may "walk through" directions and procedures. Because employees update their own personal information such as changes in phone numbers, email, subjects and teaching locations, the central office staff load is reduced. As with IVR systems, data may be electronically transferred to current district payroll systems.

In summary, technology has automated the process of substitute dispatching. For districts that take advantage of this new technology, using the Internet makes automating absence reporting and substitute notification both efficient and affordable.

Chuck Bernasconi is president of Computer Software Innovations, Inc. CSI has over 15 years of experience developing PC, IVR and Internet dispatching systems for districts and employment agencies (800) 735-7063, cbern1@aol.com, or at www.subdemo.com, Seattle, WA.