I have often been asked my opinion as to whether it is worth it for a teacher to accept a maternity leave replacement position rather than hold out for the coveted tenure track position. The answer is, that it depends. There are many factors that go into answering that question and the benefit varies by the individual:
Even in an environment where fewer people are going into education, I would argue that accepting a leave replacement position is valuable and might still be a good career move for some!
Pros of a maternity leave replacement position:
Cons of a maternity leave replacement position:
The bottom line is, that it is always worth it to consider all offers. Tenure is not everything, Many successful veteran teachers began their careers as leave of absence replacements. That was the only way they could get their foot in the door!