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Durham schools outline budget constraints and shift substitute pay to hourly model
Summary
Facing uncertainty about a state budget, Durham Public Schools staff outlined compensation priorities and the board voted to move substitute teacher pay from a daily rounding model to an hourly system; a separate pay‑rate increase was deferred pending broader classified pay decisions.
Durham Public Schools staff told the board on June 30 that the district remains dependent on an impending state budget and is preparing a range of compensation options tied to state action. In that context the board approved a change in substitute pay methodology — moving from a daily/rounded rate to an hourly pay model — while reserving broader pay increases until classified pay scales can be considered together.
Finance staff said the state budget's timing will affect how much the district can invest in raises. The district’s goal in the superintendent’s recommended budget had been a $19.22 hourly floor for certain classifications; the current plan would reach roughly $18.22 under available assumptions. The finance presenter urged patience while the General Assembly finalizes appropriation language.
The substitute pay discussion focused on operational efficiency and fairness. Staff explained the current daily‑rate system requires manual rounding (a half‑day often rolls up to a whole day), which adds processing complexity and creates an outlier group. They proposed paying substitutes hourly and modestly increasing hourly rates; the board split the proposal into two actions so the methodology change could proceed without preempting a districtwide classified pay strategy. Vice Chair Millicent Rogers and others argued for splitting the items to avoid perceived inequities.
The board voted to change the substitute methodology to hourly (the vote passed unanimously). Staff said the move would make payroll more automated and easier to align with future biweekly or other pay cadence changes.
Board members also discussed targeted supplements (a $200 monthly bus driver supplement and $100 safety assistance supplement), salary schedule cleanup, and improving pay competitiveness for occupational therapists and physical therapists — an issue flagged during public comment by a district PT who estimated substantial lost IEP services if vacancies persist.
No final dollar amounts for substitute pay increases were approved at the meeting; staff said proposed pay‑rate adjustments would be brought back alongside classified pay schedule work once the state budget is settled.
