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Octorara updates on ESS substitute service amid 54% net fill rate and staffing shortfalls
Summary
District staff reported on the contract with ESS substitute service, sharing counts of active substitutes, certification breakdowns, onboarding timelines and a net fill rate of 54%, and discussed pay, building substitute roles and next steps to raise coverage.
The Octorara Area School District on Feb. 10 received an update on its contract with ESS, the district’s substitute staffing vendor, including current substitute counts, certification types, onboarding timelines and concerns about coverage.
District staff said the board approved the ESS contract in August 2023 and the district transitioned to ESS in March 2024. “Our net fill rate is 54%,” the presenter said, adding that ESS has filled 707 substitute assignments since August and that the district averages about 14 substitute requests per day and about seven fills per day.
The presentation outlined the substitute pool and certifications. As of the week of the presentation, 58 substitutes told ESS they wanted to be on Octorara’s list; 33 of those were new in 2024–25 and 12 had substituted in the district for 20 or more days. The district’s breakdown includes 15 instructional substitutes with Pennsylvania Department of Education certification, 26 emergency-permitted substitutes (who must hold a bachelor’s degree), 15 support substitutes, two food-service substitutes and one sub nurse “in process.”
Staff described several operational and program details: building substitutes must commit to being in a single Octorara building every school day to receive a higher rate; substitutes must accept four assignments a month to remain active on ESS’s list; ESS reports average onboarding takes about 15–30 days; and ESS holds two to three recruiting events locally per week and partners with CareerLink.
Board members asked how unfilled assignments are covered. The presenter said building principals, assistant principals and classroom teachers often fill gaps by covering classes, sometimes using planning periods or lunch periods; the district has, at times, paid teachers an hourly curriculum rate when they volunteer to cover classes.
Several board members and staff discussed pay and competitiveness in Chester County. The presenter said Octorara’s per-diem substitute rate is lower than most Chester County districts; officials discussed districts offering up to $200 per day and local incentives (bonuses at intervals) to keep substitutes returning. A board member estimated that raising the daily rate by $15 on roughly 1,300 requests over five months would cost about $20,000 if all were filled, though staff noted that figure depends on actual fills and timing.
Staff said next steps will include closer coordination with the district’s HR specialist, targeted recruiting for “building subs,” process improvements for onboarding paperwork, benchmarking pay with nearby districts and exploring retention incentives such as bonuses or targeted outreach to retirees and local candidates.
Board members thanked staff for the report and urged rapid follow-up before the next school year.
