Staff Contact:      Sean McDonald, Interim assistant superintendent of Human Resources

Meeting Category: October 21, 2021 – Regular Meeting

Subject:     Increase of Substitute Hourly Rate

School Board Action Required: Decision

Related To:          Goal 3

Key Points:

FCPS Substitute fill rate has declined from pre-pandemic levels (approx. 90%) to 71%. Current labor market conditions combined with low unemployment are contributing to the rate decline.

Recommendation:

I move that effective November 6, 2021 the Superintendent be directed to increase the hourly rate of substitute teachers ranging from $1 to $3 per hour based on categories of short-term, long-term and FCPS retiree, with the specific amounts by category outlined in Option 2 of the October 18, 2021 Brabrand Briefing; and increase in the hourly rate of classroom instructional support substitutes (IA/PHTA/PHA) by $1 per hour for retirees, $2 per hour for IA/PHTA/PHA and $3 per hour for all other substitute teachers, with the estimated cost of different substitute teacher scenarios to be approximately $3 million based on a 90% fill rate for the remainder of the 2021-2022 school year.

Option 2: Variable Increase by Sub Category (Estimated Cost=$3.0 million**)

** The cost of a $3 and $1 increase for Teacher Subs and $2 for IA Subs assuming a distribution by substitute category (ST, LT, FCPS Retiree) at a 90% fill rate for the remainder of the school year is $3 m.

Board member proposed follow-on motion:

I move to direct the Superintendent to provide an analysis of the IA/PHTA/PHA substitute pay scale to determine potential enhancements to the adopted scale to ensure FCPS is competitive with WABE districts and increase fill rates. (Anderson)