Parent urges BVSD to raise substitute pay after high hours of uncovered classes

Kristen King, a parent who spoke during public participation at the Feb. 25 meeting, told the Boulder Valley School District board that teacher coverage of classes had risen sharply and asked the district to reconsider substitute pay.

King said her second grader recently had five different substitute teachers in one day, and that district teachers covered thousands of class hours in lieu of paid substitutes. "Last school year teachers covered 6,374 hours for classes without subs. This past fall teachers covered 5,006 hours," she said.

King asked the board to restore substitute pay to last year’s levels (she cited a previous rate of $150 or $170 per day) and to eliminate differentiated pay or bonus systems that she said leave substitute teachers at a disadvantage. She also asked the district to align substitute pay with neighboring districts such as Denver and Westminster.

King said she understood an MOU exists with the teachers’ association but added that substitute teachers lack representation and said the district should treat the staffing and compensation issue transparently as it prepares next year’s budget.

Superintendent Dr. Anderson did not take action during the public comment period but the concern was recorded on the meeting’s public record; staff indicated the district would continue to work on budget and staffing planning ahead of the next school year.

Why it matters: Substitute availability and pay affect classroom continuity and operating costs; the parent urged the board to prioritize stable coverage for students when the district develops next year’s budget.

Provenance: Public comment delivered on Feb. 25 by Kristen King (remote).