THE EDU STATION ACADEMY · TEACHER CONNECTION
NEED A CHILDCARE SUBSTITUTE?
Connect with trained, evaluated early childhood educators for temporary classroom coverage in Chattanooga.
✓ Pilot launching January 10, 2027 · ✓ Every request reviewed by our team · ✓ Call or text 423-647-5112
THE 6:00 AM CALL-OUT REALITY
The True Cost of Staffing Shortages
When dawn brings an unexpected vacancy, your entire morning turns into stressful triage instead of intentional leadership. You shouldn't have to shoulder the burden alone.
Ratio Panic
Scrambling before 7:00 AM to combine classrooms and stepping onto the floor yourself just to keep your ratios in line.
Burnout Risk
Forcing your most dependable lead educators to forfeit planning periods and absorb extra workloads, steadily draining retention.
No Backup Plan
Calling around at dawn, hoping someone is free, with no ready list of trained educators who already know how a classroom should run.
HOW IT WORKS
How Teacher Connection Works
We review every request, find an interested and available educator, and make the introduction. Your center stays in charge of hiring, clearances, and payroll.
Send a Request
Use the form below, email [email protected], or text 423-647-5112 with the date, hours, classroom, and number of substitutes you need.
We Review and Introduce
We look for an interested educator who is available and a good fit, then share their training and readiness summary with you.
You Hire, We Confirm
Your center completes its own hiring, clearance, and payroll steps. We confirm the shift with you directly, then follow up after the assignment.
OUR TRAINING METHOD
Teach One. Show One. Practice One.
Every educator learns the way strong classrooms run: by seeing it, doing it, and getting coaching.
Teach One.
We explain the skill and why it matters.
Show One.
We demonstrate it correctly in a real classroom at Tiny Tigers Learning Center.
Practice One.
The educator demonstrates the skill, receives coaching, and is evaluated for classroom readiness.
Training and evaluation are provided through Tiny Tigers Learning Center and do not replace any state-required training, clearances, or qualifications your center must verify.
CLASSROOMS
Classrooms We Help Cover
Tell us which classrooms you need covered, and we’ll look for an educator who fits.
Infant
Gentle, responsive care, safe sleep awareness, feeding and diapering routines.
Toddler
Patience, redirection, transitions, and lots of language.
Preschool
Circle time, centers, and routines that keep the day moving.
Pre-K
Structured learning time and school-readiness routines.
Floater
Flexible support for breaks, lunches, and ratio coverage across rooms.
PILOT PRICING
Simple Pilot Pricing
First Substitute Match
$175
For the first assignment of a substitute at your center.
Repeat Booking
$50
For each later booking of that same substitute that we coordinate.
- No fee if we can’t find an available substitute.
- Fee is due the same day the substitute reports; we send a secure payment link after confirming arrival.
- You pay the substitute’s wages separately through your own payroll.
Pilot pricing, subject to final terms in the Teacher Connection Partner Childcare Center Agreement.
Request a Substitute
Submit as early as you can. Our team will review your request and contact you. Your request is not confirmed until you hear from us directly.
Prefer to Call, Text, or Email?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my substitute confirmed when I submit a request?
No. Submitting starts the process. We confirm with you directly once an educator has agreed and your hiring steps are complete.
Who employs the substitute?
Your center does. The substitute is hired and paid through your center’s own payroll. Teacher Connection coordinates the introduction and scheduling.
Who handles background checks and clearances?
Your center completes any background checks, clearances, and onboarding required for your staff. Clearances completed elsewhere may not carry over, so plan time for your own process. We don’t collect or share background-check documents.
What training do your educators have?
Educators are trained and evaluated through Tiny Tigers Learning Center using Teach One. Show One. Practice One. We share a training and readiness summary when we introduce an educator.
How much notice do you need?
The more, the better. Because your center completes its own hiring steps, first-time matches take longer than repeat bookings. Same-day requests are reviewed but can’t be guaranteed.
How much does it cost?
$175 for the first match of a substitute at your center and $50 for each later booking of that same substitute that we coordinate. Pilot pricing, subject to the Partner Agreement.
When do I pay?
The same day the substitute reports for the shift. We send a secure payment link after confirming arrival.
What if a substitute can’t come?
We’ll try to find a replacement. If no successful match happens, any fee you paid is refunded or credited, as described in the Partner Agreement.
Can I contact educators directly?
We make introductions once a match is proposed. We don’t publish educator contact information.
What areas do you serve?
The pilot serves the Chattanooga, Tennessee area.