With a reported shortage of substitute teachers in the New Castle Area School District, the school board has increased its pay rates for longer-term substitute teachers.

The school board, at its regular meeting on Monday, raised its daily substitute teacher rates from $100 to $150. Rates for those filling in four to five days a week and full-time replacement rates have increased from $150 to $200 per day. The new rates will come into effect on October 3.

Daily replacement rates for emergency substitute teachers remain at $85 per day, according to district business manager Joseph Ambrosini.

Acting District Superintendent Rick Rossi said the reason for the increases was due to the lack of availability of substitute teachers. He thinks the rates are in line with salaries paid to substitute teachers in other districts, and that raising them will make the job more attractive to future substitute teachers.

High school principal Rich Litrenta can attest to that.

“It’s very difficult, pretty much like any other workplace or industry that’s struggling to attract workers,” he said. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, during the 2019-20 school year, the high school had nine substitute teachers listed as available, Litrenta said. Currently, there are only two replacements in the building each day.

“There are no everyday people to call,” he said.

If they need more replacements, teachers must cover the classes because only two replacements are dedicated to the high school building.

“What ends up happening is that if a teacher has a health problem or will be on leave, we have to take some of the daily contractors who have teaching certificates and put them in a room for a period of time. extended.” Litrenta explained. “Now your numbers are going down for everyone.”

Potential replacements usually submit their names to the administration building and the school board approves them after verifying their clearances.

“We’ve done a lot of publicity,” he said, but “it’s hard to get someone right now.”

A check with other districts shows that the Neshannock Township School District pays its daily substitute teachers $100 per day for the first 20 days. Neshannock pays $150 per day for longer term subs for 21 to 89 days. Long-term contractors working 90 days or more are paid $190 a day, according to district business manager Justin DiMuccio. The district has no trouble holding back submarines, he said.

The Laurel School District pays day-to-day subs $95 per day; long-term contractors receive $115 a day and long-term contractors who work 45 days or more are paid $140 a day, according to figures provided by district business manager Jennifer Conrad.

Emergency substitute teachers in the Shenango Area School District receive a salary of $100 per day, substitute teachers who are certified teachers are paid $150 per day, and long-term teachers are paid based on the agreement collective. Dr. Michael Schreck, who provided those numbers, said the district has no problem finding substitute teachers.

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