The Hidden Cost of Coverage.
Survey results show how manual substitute scheduling drains administrator time, and what that time costs your budget.
The Cost of Manual Scheduling, Measured
Based on 18 responses from school administrators across 16 states (elementary, middle, and high schools), collected in 2025.
The average administrator spends the equivalent of 12 full workdays every school year tracking and assigning substitute coverage.
In salary-equivalent hours, per administrator, every year.
99+ hours at a typical administrator hourly rate of about $58.
The "Friday Rush": A 41.7% Spike in Work.
The manual burden is not consistent. Our survey shows that the time spent on sub coverage spikes to 57.8 minutes on Fridays compared to 40.8 minutes on Tuesdays. That 41.7% surge in administrative work pulls you away from closing out the week with students and staff.
Paper is 2.85x Slower than Spreadsheets.
The method matters. Administrators using pen and paper spend 347 minutes a week on scheduling, about 90 minutes more each week than administrators using an absence-management system (AMS) plus manual backfill, and 2.85 times as long as those using a spreadsheet. Automation turns a 45-minute scramble into a two-minute review.
The Middle School Time Sink.
When analyzing the burden by school level, middle school administrators reported the highest time cost, averaging almost 349 minutes per week. High school administrators, likely due to larger scale and more dedicated support staff, see the least time spent.
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About this survey
Figures are self-reported time estimates from 18 school administrators, collected in 2025. Respondents estimated time spent on a typical Tuesday and a typical Friday; where they gave ranges, we averaged them. Your building's numbers will vary with enrollment, staffing, and how you handle coverage today.