Schools across the state are experiencing shortages in substitute personnel and Marysville is no different.
“There is a shortage of substitutes in our school district for various positions,” Marysville Assistant Superintendent Jonathan Langhals told the board of education at a recent meeting.
In order to make the district more attractive to potential fill-in workers, the board voted recently to increase the compensation for those jobs. The move is intended to entice new substitutes, but also to help the district retain the ones it currently utilizes.
“Not only are we challenged with recruiting new members to our team but also too, we’re starting to see a challenge of retaining our team members as well,” Langhals said.
Shortages in back-up teachers and bus drivers have been impacting districts throughout central Ohio, Langhals said. According to media reports, various Westerville schools recently adjusted hours of operation, with late start times and early dismissal, in order to deal with a shortage of bus drivers.
Langhals said many districts around the “270 loop” are actively adjusting pay rates to find new subs.
“It’s a competitive market out there,” Langhals said.
To help offset the shortage, the assistant superintendent suggested a series of increases for substitute pay.
Langhals said the average pay for substitute teachers in central Ohio is $123 per day, with the highest rate at $155 and the lowest at $92.
Marysville started the year paying substitute teachers $100 per day, which bumps to $115 per day if the teacher serves 15 days on the same assignment.
Langhals recommended raising that rate to $125 per day for substitute teachers, bumping to $135 after 15 consecutive days in the district, but eliminating the requirement that those days be served on the same assignment.
“It’s a fiscally responsible decision,” Langhals said. “But, yet, too, we’re showing our substitute team members that we appreciate and value what they bring to our school district.”
He said finding substitute bus drivers is also a widespread problem.
“This is a challenge across the nation,” he said.
Langhals went on to say Marysville’s rate of $16 per hour was the “lowest in our immediate area.”
He recommended increasing the rate to $20 per hour and also proposed a CDL training reimbursement stipend of $500 to entice new drivers. Langhals said the process to obtain a CDL license can stretch past 30 hours of training.
But he added that the district needed to ensure that its investment in CDL training paid dividends locally. Langhals recommended that the stipend be paid to full-time hires after 30 days of employment and to substitutes after driving 20 routes in the first four months of employment.
“What we don’t want to do is train people, pay them, and then they leave us to go work somewhere else,” Langhals said.
Board member Brian Luke said he knew of issues with substitute teachers and bus drivers, but asked if there were issues with filling other temporary positions. Langhals said various other areas were impacted, especially special education aides.
In response, Langhals recommended increasing the hourly rate for all other substitutes to $14.50 per hour. This increase impacts custodian/maintenance (currently $11 per hour), bus aides (currently $10 per hour), van drivers (currently $11 per hour), secretary/aide (currently $11.50 per hour) and cafeteria/food service support (currently $10).
“With the consistency we won’t be competing against ourselves with certain substitute positions,” Langhals said.
Board member Dick Smith asked if the new rates would allow the district to be competitive in the central Ohio market for substitute workers.
“Time will tell, sir. Time will tell,” Langhals said.
The board voted unanimously to approve the new pay rates effective this week.