The South Butler County School Board and administrators are offering some new incentives for substitute teachers to hopefully reduce an ongoing shortfall.
During a school board meeting Wednesday, the board approved pay rates for all district substitute employees for the upcoming school year. The approved rates are now $90 per day; $95 per day for people who substitute more than 31 days during the school year; and $100 per day for retired South Butler teachers. South Butler’s per day pay rate was increased last year from $80 to $90.
The motion passed by a vote of 5-3, with board member George Zacherl among those voting against as he argued for increasing the daily pay of day-to-day subs to $115. Doing so, he thought, could increase the district’s substitute fill rate. The district says the fill rate has been sitting at roughly 80 percent over the last few years, which has resulted in some “less than ideal” educational situations.
Kelly Education Staffing has been handling the district’s substitute teacher, secretary, and paraprofessional needs for four years. Superintendent Dr. David Foley is meeting with KES representatives to try to increase the pool of potential subs through recruitment strategies.
