The Ottumwa Community School District board on Tuesday approved its annual non‑certified seasonal and hourly pay schedule and approved a proposal to create higher pay tiers for long‑term substitute teachers, a move administrators said is designed to improve substitute staffing and classroom continuity.

The district formalized its non‑certified pay table for associates, custodians, food service and secretaries; seasonal building and grounds new hires start at $14 an hour. Existing non‑certified employees will receive the same percentage increase that other miscellaneous employee groups receive (2.8% this cycle), district presenters said.

On substitute pay, administrators proposed and the board approved a tiered daily rate for long‑term assignments (long term defined as more than 10 consecutive days): under 10 days the daily rate remains $150; certified teachers acting as long‑term substitutes would receive $225 per day; certified teachers endorsed in the assignment area would receive $250 per day. District staff estimated the change could cost an additional $30,000–$40,000 depending on the number of long‑term assignments in a given year.

Officials said the tiered approach is intended to attract higher‑qualified substitutes — including retirees and teachers certified in the subject area — and to improve instructional quality in multi‑week assignments. The presenters also discussed other incentives suggested during the meeting, including a bonus or incremental rate increases for substitutes who accept consecutive assignments (for example a bump after 10 consecutive days or a cumulative number of days in a year) and ways to reward prompt acceptances of posted assignments.

Administrators said district fill rates for daily substitute needs are around 60–70 percent, which has required flexible coverage strategies such as building flex subs and teachers covering prep periods. The board asked staff to return with cost estimates and with consideration of additional incentives tied to consecutive days and reliability.

Actions taken at the meeting: approval of the non‑certified pay schedule (annual refresh) and approval of the substitute pay update (tiered long‑term rates).