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Schools

Substitute teachers may get more pay

County public school leaders are proposing a daily rate increase of 17 to 18 percent.

By REBECCA CATALANELLO
Published August 12, 2005

Teachers aren't the only ones in demand in Pasco County. The people who fill in for teachers are pretty darn popular, too.

In an effort to woo more substitute teachers into Pasco's public classrooms, school leaders are proposing offering them a little more dough.

Substitute teachers could see their daily rate of pay increase 17 to 18 percent to $55 or $65, depending on their educational credentials. Long-term subs - those who substitute for at least 11 consecutive days - could make $85 per day, up $3 from the current rate.

And retired Pasco County teachers willing to substitute could get even more: a $10-per-day bonus on top of the regular pay rate.

Supervisor of human resources Anita Szymanski said the raise is overdue.

The last time substitutes saw an increase was five years ago when they got $2 more a day. And with Pasco short 100 regular classroom teachers, finding quality substitutes is more crucial than ever.

"Substitutes are actually responsible for students," Szymanski said Thursday. "They're responsible for teaching. And if you compare their salaries with the other counties', it was lower."

The raise would mean Pasco substitute teachers would make slightly more than Hillsborough substitutes. Pinellas recently raised its regular substitute pay rates to $70 to $90 per day - up to 63 percent more than that proposed locally.

Though retired teachers are highly desirable as subs, only about 10 of the 1,000 substitutes listed with the district fit that description. "They know the system, they're used to the curriculum and the procedures," Szymanski said, hopeful that a $10-per-day bonus might give them more of an incentive to fill in.

Last spring, the district surveyed substitutes about their on-the-job experiences. Most said they felt a raise was in order. But they also said they wanted to be recognized more often, get more pats on the back.

Szymanski said her office is compiling a booklet of suggestions for principals to show appreciation for their subs by, for example, offering them free lunch or taking steps to make them feel more welcome when they arrive in the morning.

On Thursday, there were 170 substitutes working in the district. But the need can rise as high as 300 or 450 positions in any given day. Once hired, substitute teachers must complete a half-day or daylong training session, depending on their experience, before getting into the classroom.

Szymanski said the district looks for applicants who are good with children and have experience working with them.

The School Board will vote on the proposed pay rate increase at its Tuesday meeting at 6 p.m., 7227 Land O'Lakes Blvd. in Land O'Lakes.

For more information on substitute teaching in Pasco County, visit http://hr.pasco.k12.fl.us/Pages/sub_info.html or call 727 774-2353.

[Last modified August 12, 2005, 00:47:15]