REPORT: NYC short almost 3,700 substitute teachers on eve of vaccine deadline

According to an email set to the pool of substitutes obtained by the paper, Brooklyn and Queens have a greater need for fill-ins than some of the other boroughs, and the staff could be needed through May 2022. The DOE is offering substitutes an extra $50 per day for working at least 10 days between September. 20 and November. 24, according to the email obtained by The Post.

David Bloomfield, an education professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center, told the outlet that the need for subs "…isn’t spread out evenly," he said.

"I’m expecting to see a lot of stress among principals, a deficiency in instructors, and a number of children going without mandated services," added Bloomfield.

The outlet also reported that the DOE is looking to fill an additional 3,020 positions for paraprofessional substitute teachers for special education and disabled students.

Approximately 15,000 DOE employees, including roughly 5,500 teachers who refused to get the vaccine were given a choice of a year of unpaid leave with health insurance or leaving the DOE with severance pay. According to the DOE, as of Friday at least 90 percent of DOE employees are vaccinated.

The mandate, which was originally scheduled to go into effect on Sept. 27 has been delayed by legal challenges. On Friday, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor rejected the final push to block the mandate.

Schools are also facing safety challenges as approximately 20 percent of schools' 4,848 safety agents are unvaccinated.