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Prosser board hears staff call to raise substitute pay to ease shortages
Summary
District staff told the board that low posted substitute rates are hampering recruitment and recommended raising the rate; staff will return with comparative cost data showing teacher coverage costs and estimated budget impact.
Deanna, the district HR staff member, told the Prosser School District Board that the district is struggling to recruit substitutes and recommended raising the posted substitute rate to be more competitive. "We are paying less for someone to come in and do our custodial work and our food service work than we're paying for them to come in and touch as a substitute," Deanna said, and she recommended increasing the sub rate "at least to $1.85," citing a nearby district (Grandview) that the transcript cites as paying $1.80 while Prosser's posted rate was cited as $1.60.
Why it matters: Board members and staff said filling substitute positions reduces the need for higher-cost internal coverage. Deanna and others noted that when certified teachers cover classes, the district can incur substantially higher costs; the transcript includes a cited example that a top-end teacher's hourly cost with benefits can be about $113, which board members used to illustrate the trade-off between higher sub pay and internal coverage costs.
What was said and next steps: Board members asked for concrete numbers. The board requested staff to pull reports showing how many teacher-hours were covered internally and the recent dollars spent on internal coverage versus outside subs. Deanna said she can run comparisons and the payroll/finance team will compile a recommended approach and budget impact for a future meeting. No formal rate change was adopted at this meeting; the discussion was placed on file for follow-up.
Context and limitations: The dollar figures in this article are reported as given in the meeting transcript. Some figures (for example the cited $1.60, $1.80 and $1.85 amounts) were stated in the meeting and reported here as such; staff will provide formal written comparisons and the board asked for those analyses before any action.
The board did not vote on the substitute-pay proposal; staff anticipate returning with detailed cost comparisons and recommended language for any budget amendment or policy change.
