Substitute marketplace
Weighted matching finds the right sub in the district — ranked, not just listed.
Post a coverage request and Ember ranks available substitutes by subject match, certification, availability, and rating — surfacing the top three with a transparent confidence score and the reasons behind it. Attach lesson plans and notes so coverage days don't become lost days.
At a glance
The challenge
Absent days cost learning
Subs arrive without plans or without the right subject background. Teachers spend sick days writing instructions from bed. Students drift, and there's no record of who was actually a good fit.
How Ember helps
Coverage with a ranked, transparent match
Ember scores every available substitute against your request — subject match, certification, availability, and past rating — and surfaces the top three with the reasoning shown. Attach a lesson plan package once; the accepted substitute gets it automatically.
Real scenarios
When you'll use it
Concrete moments in the school week — not abstract features.
Sick day
Post a request and get three ranked, subject-matched substitutes in minutes — not a static directory to scroll.
District pool
Substitutes are scored on subject match, certification, availability, and rating for every request.
Return to class
Rate the substitute's coverage — it feeds directly into how future requests are ranked.
Capabilities
Everything included
Weighted substitute matching
Subject match (40%), certification (25%), availability (20%), and rating (15%) combine into a visible confidence score for each candidate.
Top-3 ranked results
See the three best-fit substitutes with the specific reasons each one matched — not just an alphabetical directory.
Plan packages
Attach lesson plans and materials to a coverage request; the matched substitute receives them automatically.
Private notes, visible accommodations
Reason for absence stays private by default while accommodation context reaches the substitute.
Private absence reason
The reason for a coverage request stays private to admins by default.
Rating-driven ranking
Post-coverage ratings feed directly into future match scoring for that substitute.
How it works
Up and running in three steps
Request coverage
Post dates, subject, and reason; matching runs automatically.
Review ranked matches
Accept the top-ranked substitute or pick from the top three.
Return and rate
Rate the substitute's coverage — it feeds directly into future matching.
FAQ
Common questions
A weighted score combines subject match (40%), certification (25%), availability (20%), and rating (15%) — the top three candidates are shown with their reasons.
Try Substitute marketplace free
Set up your school or classroom in minutes. No credit card required.
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