ESS reports 87% overall fill rate for Pennridge substitutes; district to recommend one-year contract renewal

Representatives of ESS (an education staffing firm) presented a year‑to‑date 2024–25 review of substitute services to the Pennridge personnel committee on April 14 and the administration recommended renewing the ESS contract for one year.

Key metrics from ESS presenters: ESS reported 8,551 total assignment requests so far in the school year. Of those, they said staff-absence requests (requests tied to a specific employee) accounted for more than 5,000 and “supplemental” requests (coverage for events, IEP meetings, field trips, or non‑person-specific duties) were about 3,439. ESS reported it filled 7,410 of those assignments, for a net fill rate of about 87 percent; the teacher fill rate stood at 95 percent while support-role fill (paraprofessionals and non‑certified positions) was about 64 percent.

ESS discussed staffing programs used by the district: building‑based substitute pools (staff who dedicate time to a specific building), an emergency‑permit pathway for candidates with bachelor’s degrees, an app program that allows college students or preservice teachers to serve as a teacher of record under partnership arrangements, and recruitment activities (digital postings, job fairs, college partnerships). ESS said its building‑based substitutes average about 38 assignments (an average workload measure presented), and staff noted ESS had added 82 subs to the district pool this year (including emergency permit staff and instructional assistants).

Cost context and procurement: Committee members asked about total substitute spending; ESS presenters and a district representative said total substitute spending across sources (not limited to the ESS contract) exceeded $2 million for the year. The district recommended a one‑year renewal of the ESS contract; the administration plans to present that recommendation to the finance committee and then the full board as a contract item.

Questions and operational notes: Committee members pressed ESS on why some non‑certified roles (paraprofessionals, playground aides) are harder to fill. ESS said shorter notice of absences and competitive hourly pay at non-education employers contribute; presenters noted their rates are competitive in the region. The district said it will continue to collaborate on scheduling and the assignment app to maximize coverage and accurate payroll/coverage reporting.

Attribution and next steps: “Our teacher fill rate is higher at a 95%,” ESS presenter Megan Amar said during the review. The district’s recommendation to renew the ESS contract for one year will be presented at the finance committee meeting and forwarded to the April board agenda for action.

Ending: Committee members asked for additional historical fill‑rate data; ESS said it can supply about four years of archived data on request. Finance and HR staff will carry the renewal recommendation forward through the district’s procurement channels.