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ESS tells Warren County board substitute fill rates climb to 99% when building-based subs are included
Summary
ESS representative Amy Chanley told the Warren County School Board that midyear substitute fill rates improved to 82% prior to building-based subs and reach 99% after adding building-based subs; ESS also reported 48 new hires, about 150 subs in the system and ongoing recruitment efforts.
Amy Chanley, the ESS representative for Warren County, told the school board on Jan. 21, 2026, that substitute staffing at midyear has improved markedly compared with last year. "We are actually at 82% prior before our building based subs," Chanley said, and once building‑based substitutes are included the fill rate reaches "99%." She said the district is now filling roughly 45 to 55 assignments per day, up from about 35 to 40 per day last school year.
Why it matters: substitute availability affects daily instruction and the district's ability to cover absences without cancelling classes or overburdening staff. Board members pressed ESS on the persistence of morning‑of unfilled assignments, which Chanley identified as the main remaining challenge.
Chanley reviewed hiring and recruitment figures, saying ESS has hired 48 new substitutes so far this school year and has 44 applicants in the pipeline. She said the system currently lists about 150 substitutes, of whom "75 regularly pick up" assignments. To increase participation ESS has used incentives, raffles, weekly and monthly recognition, and local job fairs; Chanley noted regular meet‑and‑greets at public libraries and community events as part of outreach.
ESS also highlighted community engagement programs run or supported by law enforcement and the district, including a PAL open‑gym series, an explorers program for older students and a planned two‑day "junior deputy" camp over spring break to expose children to law‑enforcement training demonstrations and hands‑on activities.
On budget and metrics, Chanley showed a slide comparing monthly fills and absences year‑over‑year and a budget breakdown for ESS services; she invited board members to follow up with questions and review the supporting charts. Board members asked for strategies to reduce morning‑of unfilled assignments; Chanley said she is researching approaches to get ahead of those shifts and will continue to run incentives and targeted outreach.
What’s next: ESS will continue recruitment activities and present updated metrics to the board. Board members asked for more detail on monthly absence trends and the morning‑coverage strategy at a future meeting.
