12 word description of app/product:
A tech-enabled marketplace that connects substitute teachers with schools in need.
Formats
Web app. A new app for iOS devices is currently in development and is expected to launch by the end of the school year.
Website
What does it help with?
The substitute teacher shortage has made it hard for schools and districts across the country to a) get enough subs to cover teacher absences and b) to do so in an efficient manner. Swing Education recruits, screens, and supports a large group of quality subs, and equips schools with technology to quickly and easily get the coverage they need.
What grade and age range?
K-12
Is this core/supplemental/special needs/extracurricular/professional development or what?
N/A
What subject, topic, what standards is it mapped to?
N/A
What lesson time does it use?
N/A
What is the pricing model?
Pay-per-use. There is no subscription, maintenance, training, or implementation fee. Instead, Swing Education charges a service fee for each substitute teacher day used.
Are there services around it?
Swing Education offers end-to-end substitute teacher services. In addition to providing schools with qualified subs, the company handles all billing/payment, support, training, implementation, and more for both substitute teachers and schools.
What makes Swing Education unique?
There are a number of staffing agencies that provide substitute teachers to schools, and there are a handful of tech companies that provide software to schools to manage their own subs. Swing Education is unique in that it does both — it provides qualified substitute teachers and easy-to-use software to schools, relieving them of the burden of not only substitute teacher hiring and screening, but also management.
A description of the characteristics--how is it designed for user interface, user experience? What instructional design principles are at work here?
Swing Education’s UI has to accommodate users of all kinds of backgrounds, age levels, and tech savviness (including elderly and disabled teachers and administrators). The company’s goal is to make its interface clear, accessible, and easy to use.
The user experience is designed to take the needs of users into consideration — administrators can reach hundreds of subs without ever picking up the phone, and substitute teachers can accept requests on the go.
Swing Education also designed its product to make it easy for subs to successfully fulfill all the requirements to work in the classroom.
Administrator reviews:
“We’re just super thankful. Swing takes so much stress away in terms of finding substitute teachers.”
Christine Fairless, Middle School Director
St. Paul's Episcopal School (CA)
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“Substitute teachers are a completely necessary component of every single day in a school. Swing allows us to be able to plan well and keep everything moving in light of teacher absences and/or vacancies.”
Pamela Merkerson, Director of Talent Management
Paul Public Charter School (Washington D.C.)
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“We previously had to limit the amount of PD our staff could access because of a shortage of substitute teachers to cover absences. But now, we have a resource in Swing Education that has allowed us an alternative to saying ‘No, you can’t do that.’”
Michelle Hayes, Assistant Superintendent of HR
Cajon Valley Union School District (CA)
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“I feel Swing is worth every single penny. Given the time we save and the quality of teachers Swing has sent us — the buy-in that Swing’s substitutes have shown when they come to our campus has been great — I’m very happy.”
Veronica Hayes, HR Generalist
Highlands Community Charter School (CA)
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“Swing has helped Pioneer not only fill the open positions quickly, but has provided our students with substitutes that are high-energy, compassionate, and hard-working.”
Laura Wilson, Director
Pioneer Preparatory School (AZ)
Sub Reviews
“Swing Education allows me to work for many districts all over the Bay Area on one platform instead of having to separately apply to each individual district, so that’s great. Plus, the ease of getting a text and being able to accept a request like that — you can’t beat that system. It’s definitely better than the old-fashioned phone call at 6 in the morning.”
Swing Sub Haley Brucato
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“It’s the modern day way of doing things. Of course I prefer the texts.”
Swing Sub Mamie Dinani
