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District reviews STS substitute list and proposed multi-year contract rates; committee seeks clarification
Summary
The Human Resources Committee reviewed STS99s listing of guest teachers (substitutes) and a proposed three-year contract at a 1.29 billing multiplier. Committee members asked how STS vetting interacts with district hiring and clearance procedures and requested more information before board approval.
The Bethlehem Area School District Human Resources Committee on April 14 reviewed a roster of guest teachers provided by STS (the district99s contracted substitute provider) and a proposed multi-year contract extension for substitute services.
Staff said STS asked the district to place the current list of substitutes on the board agenda for approval; the list covers substitutes already working in district buildings and includes a range of experience levels and certifications. "They are currently working for us," staff said, and district human-resources staff confirmed they had reviewed clearances and vetting for those on the list.
Committee members asked procedural questions: whether the practice of submitting a substitute roster for board approval is new, why STS was making the request in April rather than in August, who performs vetting and clearance checks, and whether approving a roster now poses any legal exposure. Staff identified Jackie Velasco in human resources as the district staff member who verifies clearances and said the STS practice of seeking board approval was new.
Separately, staff discussed a proposed three-year contract with STS for substitute services that would carry no rate increase to base wages and would use a billing multiplier of 1.29 (bill rate equals 129 percent of base pay). Staff noted that the billing multiplier is within the range typical for contracted substitute services (they cited other providers at about 1.35). The committee expressed support for the multi-year contract option to provide budget certainty but asked staff to confirm why STS requested board approval at this point and to document vetting procedures formally.
No board vote was taken in committee. Staff said they would bring a formal contract document and the substitute roster to the April 28 board meeting for action and will follow up on the procedural questions raised in committee.
