The district will now use staff members, possibly even the superintendent to fill in when teachers are absent.

Every morning, Stephanie Weber logs on to a computer system that tells her about her latest substitute teaching assignment. On Monday, she was greeted with an email saying school secretaries have been instructed to cancel sub coverage.

Rio Rancho public schools officials say to avoid a $4 million budget shortfall, they're cutting back.

That includes filling substitute teaching needs internally. So, instead of hiring a substitute teacher, which costs the district up to $95 per day per teacher, all qualified staff members will be asked to fill in.

"People such as myself, the superintendent will be in classes, the associate superintendent, other executive directors, anyone who has classroom experience," said Dr. Susan Passell of Rio Rancho Public Schools.

Weber says she's not too worried about herself since most of her family's income is from her husband. But she says she is concerned about others who make a living off substitute teaching.

"What are they going to do? A lot of them rely on this for rent, they rely on this.  For people like me, this is extra money to help pay off bills. They're not gonna have that," Weber said.

The district says this doesn't mean that there won't be anymore substitute teachers at all. They say it means that calling in a substitute teacher will now be a last resort.