Keystone Central SD explains building-based substitutes and current fill rates; board asks for comparative data

District administrators explained the district’s substitute staffing model at the May 19 meeting, saying Keystone Central contracts with a staffing vendor (ESS) and uses building-based substitutes who can be redeployed across schools to cover absences.

An administrator described the rationale: given ongoing substitute shortages, ESS supplies day-to-day substitutes and the district maintains building-based subs (eight in the district) so principals can reassign coverage rather than rely solely on ad-hoc substitutes. The administrators said building-based subs are often used for IEP coverage, cafeteria duties and to prevent mass study halls when multiple staff are absent.

Administrators reported a day-of snapshot of 66 district absences with 12 unfilled positions; they said some absences are half-days or medical leaves and that fill rates vary by time of year. Trustees asked whether the district has compared absenteeism rates with peer districts or tracked multi-year trends; staff said they could prepare district-level ESS summaries and year-end analyses and suggested the board determine which committee should review such data.

Board members also discussed whether instructional coaches or DPLs could be reassigned temporarily to cover classrooms in acute staff-shortage situations; administrators said coaches and DPLs are classroom teachers or otherwise assigned and are not a consistent substitute pool but can be used as a last resort.

Trustees did not take formal action in the public session and moved to other agenda items before an executive session.