Press Release Details

More Than 90 Percent of Respondents Indicate 'Strong Demand' for Substitute Teachers, With Most Working at Least Half of the Days During the School Year

TROY, MI, May 10, 2007 -- A large majority of substitute teachers report strong demand for their services and widespread appreciation for the role they play in education, according to a survey of more than 2,600 substitute teachers conducted by Kelly Educational Staffing, a service line of global staffing provider Kelly Services (NASDAQ: KELYA) and one of the world's largest employers of substitute teachers. Results of the survey were released today in conjunction with National Substitute Teacher Recognition Week, May 7-11.

Of the survey participants, 91 percent said schools today are showing "strong demand" for substitute teachers. The demand is reflected in the amount of time worked, with 38 percent averaging more than 15 days -- or three full weeks -- per month during the school year, and 63 percent working more than 10 days per month.

Most of the respondents also report that their value to the education system is understood and recognized. Almost three-quarters, or 72 percent, feel that administrators, educators and students appreciate the skills and the services of substitute teachers.

"Attention to accountability and student achievement has never been greater and schools cannot afford to have the learning process come to a stop when full-time teachers are absent," said Scott Smith, vice president, Kelly Educational Staffing. "Every day at schools throughout the country, thousands of substitute teachers play a critical role by maintaining continuity in the learning process and we are pleased that they feel their work is being valued by the rest of the education community. The days of suggesting that substitute teachers are simply 'baby-sitting' should be long gone."

Substitute teachers overwhelmingly cite preparation as the key to success in achieving their goal of providing effective learning for students while their regular teacher is away. "Of those who responded to the survey, 83 percent said students show positive results when the substitute is well-prepared," Smith said.

The survey identified the following steps to increase substitute teachers' effectiveness while in the classroom:

• Full-time teachers should keep complete lesson plans on file, including contingency plans in case they are away from the classroom unexpectedly.
• Substitutes should be given as much time as possible to familiarize themselves with these plans prior to class.
• Plans should include enough work to keep students engaged for as long as the substitute is with the class.

About Kelly Educational Staffing

Kelly Educational Staffing, a service line of global staffing provider Kelly Services, Inc., provides a comprehensive substitute teacher staffing solution to K-12 public and private schools including the recruiting, background screening, scheduling, and training of qualified substitute teachers. As the national leader in educational staffing, Kelly Educational Staffing provides qualified substitute teachers to 20,000 classrooms each week. Since its inception in 1997, Kelly Educational Staffing has provided substitute teachers to nearly 3 million classrooms in more than 2,900 schools in 45 states, the District of Columbia and the United Kingdom. Visit kellyeducationalstaffing.com.

Media contact:
Renée Walker
(248) 244-4305

SOURCE: Kelly Services, Inc.