During a recent government meeting, the Mount Healthy School District celebrated the achievements of its top-performing students, acknowledging their accomplishments with applause and a photo opportunity with the board. The meeting then shifted focus to pressing operational challenges, particularly regarding the district's substitute teacher system.

Shane Berg, the district's human resource coordinator, presented an overview of the current substitute process, highlighting significant issues with coverage and costs. The district utilizes a system called Frontline Absence Management, which allows teachers to report absences and enables substitutes to select jobs. However, Berg reported a concerning fill rate of only 35.84%, meaning nearly 70% of absences remain unfilled, placing additional strain on existing staff.

Berg outlined the daily pay rates for substitutes across neighboring districts, revealing that Mount Healthy pays $120 per day, comparable to some but lower than others. He emphasized the need for a more effective solution to ensure quality instruction for students and alleviate the burden on teachers, who are often forced to cover for absent colleagues.

To address these challenges, Berg proposed hiring ten part-time building substitutes at a rate of $30 per hour, which would significantly reduce costs from an average of $340.30 per day for internal substitutes to approximately $225 per day for building substitutes. This approach would not only save the district money but also provide more consistent coverage for classrooms.

Board members expressed concerns about the adequacy of the proposed number of substitutes, suggesting that two per building might be insufficient given the current absence rates. Berg acknowledged that the number was somewhat arbitrary but noted that principals had indicated a need for at least two substitutes per building.

The discussion underscored the importance of maintaining a stable teaching environment, with board members recognizing that without effective solutions, the district could face staff retention issues. The meeting concluded with a consensus on the necessity of implementing the proposed changes to improve substitute coverage and support the district's educators and students.