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Board approves $5-per-day substitute pay increase; trustees ask staff to explore higher rates for former teachers
Summary
Trustees voted unanimously to raise substitute-pay rates by $5 across the board. Trustees and staff discussed targeting higher pay for retired or formerly certified teachers and legal/retirement constraints that may limit some premium-pay approaches.
The Pearland ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved an across-the-board $5 increase in substitute-pay rates on June 24, 2025.
Administration said the increase moves substitute pay into a more competitive market position for the Houston region and will help raise the current fill rate, which staff reported at about 85 percent. Dr. Berger noted the proposed increase includes an $88,000 projected additional cost and was already built into the FY2025–26 budget assumptions.
Trustees raised questions about offering higher pay or a premium rate specifically for formerly certified or retired teachers. Dr. Dahlkamp (HR) explained there are constraints tied to how retirees receive their annuities and earnings caps that can limit how much additional pay a retired teacher may accept without impacting retirement benefits. She said staff can explore "premium" approaches, sample differential pay structures for certified versus noncertified substitutes and other incentives, but cautioned some approaches may be limited by state retirement rules.
Trustee Murphy moved to approve the substitute-pay increase; Trustee Scheffler seconded. The board voted 7–0 to approve the increase.
Trustees asked staff to return with additional options for targeted incentives (for retired teachers or locally prioritized substitutes) and to continue evaluating sub compensation as part of broader compensation discussions.
