AUSTIN (KXAN) — Travis County Judge Andy Brown volunteered as a substitute teacher for an Austin Independent School District campus Monday.

Brown, who’s running for re-election, tweeted he filled in at Eastside Early College High School in east Austin, “because our students and teachers need us.” He went on to say he’s grateful for the work school staff do every day and asked those who are able to join him in becoming a sub for Austin ISD.

This comes as the latest wave of COVID-19 cases caused an influx of absences among staff in school districts across Central Texas.

Earlier this month, Austin ISD said around 400 people who work in the district’s central office are filling in as substitutes, including Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde. The week of Jan. 10, the district reported hundreds of requests for subs each day, ranging anywhere from 479 to 561 requests.

AISD also implemented plans to attract more subs, including cutting the amount of college credit hours required to be a sub and upping daily pay rates. Now, people with less than 60 college credit hours can apply to be a sub. Base pay for being a sub with AISD begins at $115, and there is added compensation if you fill in while Austin-Travis County is in Stage 5 of its COVID-19 risk-based guidelines.