Dist. 203 adjusts pay scale for substitute teachers

If you're going to substitute teach in Naperville Unit District 203, it's about to pay off to make the gig long-term.

Board members Monday approved a measure that would decrease the daily wage for short-term subs - those who work more than 30 days a year - from $100 per day to $95.

The board also is considering a move to increase the pay of long-term substitutes by $99 per year.

Currently the district pays all substitutes $95 per day until they work their 30th day of the year, at which point the pay jumps to $100 per day and becomes retroactive.

"Many times, we do have a number of subs who work for us more than 30 days and between human resources and the business office, it gets very laborious," Chief Human Resources Officer Carol Hetman said. "It's a very difficult process to count manually by individual. So I'm suggesting we do a flat rate whether you work 30 days or more."

Board members also heard about a new plan to increase the pay by $99 annually for the long-term subs.

Substitute teachers who fill in for a long-term assignment and work 30 of every 32 days are paid from the salary schedule at a per diem rate. After the most recent negotiations with the teachers union, the previous pay rate of $51,378 no longer exists. The next closest salary step is $51,477.

"The reason the long-term subs get paid differently is because they are considered to have a lot more work to do," Board President Mike Jaensch said. "They're responsible for the syllabus and giving tests. It's a much more intense thing than if you just come in and take over a class for two or three days."

The board is expected to take action on the pay increase for long-term substitutes at an upcoming board meeting.