The Haines Borough School District Board voted to increase substitute teacher pay to $18 per hour at its Tuesday meeting after the school has found it increasingly difficult to hire subs.
“It’s a problem statewide and we’re trying to see if this step helps,” superintendent Roy Getchell said. “I know places that have substantially increased their pay to try to get subs in.”
Prior to the increase, a substitute teacher without a teaching license earned $14 per hour, or $105 per day. The school board approved a pay raise to $18 per hour, or $135 per day, in line with what certified teachers make as substitutes.
Getchell said this year in particular has been more difficult finding substitutes, and it’s a stress on staff and teacher’s aides when people call in sick.
“The number (of available subs) is always small but it has dwindled to a very few now,” Getchell said. “Fortunately, we haven’t had a lot of absences, but man when we do it’s a real struggle to get anybody in.”
Haines now pays a higher rate than similarly-sized communities including Wrangell and Petersburg which pay non-certified subs $16 and $11.50 per hour respectively.