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Oak Park substitute raises equity concerns as board reviews pay proposal
Summary
A Julian permanent substitute, David Wells, thanked district HR for a proposed substitute pay change but urged the Oak Park D97 Board to act sooner, saying a final vote was delayed until the fall; the board noted the proposal is under review and promised follow-up.
David Wells, a permanent substitute at Julian, told the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Board on Aug. 13 that district HR has produced a pay proposal that moves toward equitable treatment for long-term substitutes but asked why the board was deferring a final vote.
"I challenged you to live up to your public commitments to equity, and you delivered," Wells said, praising HR staff and naming individuals involved. He said he had been working for four years at the same base rate and that, despite staff progress, the board had not scheduled a vote and he wanted clarity on the timetable.
Wells said he had sent multiple messages and raised the issue at prior meetings and asked the board to confirm whether the district planned to take final action in September or later this fall. He also asked that the board demonstrate equal treatment for substitutes compared with other district hires.
Board members acknowledged Wells’s remarks and did not dispute the description of the HR proposal; they said some items require additional review and that personnel and bargaining timelines can affect scheduling. Superintendent Ushma Shah and staff did not announce an immediate board vote at the Aug. 13 meeting but confirmed the matter remains on the district’s work plan.
What’s next: District staff said they will return with the proposal timeline and any related bargaining or procedural constraints. The board did not take formal action on substitute pay at the meeting.
