WOODLAWN — Illinois school districts have had a tough time in recent years attracting substitute teachers, and the problem is only becoming more pronounced with the return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Woodlawn, while superintendent Eric Helbig says the problem isn’t at a crisis level yet, the district has hired a permanent substitute teacher in anticipation of having more teachers out this year than normal.

Helbig says the district has also raised their sub pay to be more along the lines of other area districts, and the faculty in Woodlawn are flexible if fill-ins are needed. But ideally, he says more substitute teachers are needed across the area.