The rate of pay for substitute teachers in the Wenatchee School District will increase by 15 percent beginning next school year.

Superintendent Brian Flones and the district’s human resources department signed off on the raise on May 30 during the end-of-the-year review by the school board.

Wenatchee High School retiree Suellen Harris, who led the substitute effort, believes that the proposal was an important step in a long process.

“It’s not a perfect proposition, but it included many of our concerns. Realistically, no one ever gets what they want. We should be happy with this first step,” Harris said. “Substitutes are an important part of the educational system. I saw the need. I believe the reason of substitute shortages has much to do with the pay.”

An increase of 15 percent would bring the daily pay to $110 for substitutes. More experienced and longtime substitutes would be paid at $125 per day. In order for the substitutes to qualify for the larger compensation they would have to be WSD retirees or have more than 50 days of substituting over the last three consecutive years.

Another part of the new policy on substitutes includes the issue of compensation for subs covering an extra period during a scheduled prep period. In the past, subs were not compensated for prep periods. Now, they will receive compensation.

“It is primarily important to take the subject to them [the school district],” long-time substitute teacher Tom Wright said. “It keeps it at the forefront of their thought process.”

Earlier this year, the district sent out a survey to its 145 registered substitutes concerning all issues. Only 87 people responded.

Some of the concerns expressed by the substitutes were higher rate of pay, providing substitutes with training, and getting paid for working prep periods.

“I was very disappointed that it took the whole school year to finally address the subject,” 20-year Wenatchee High School substitute Cathy Marboe said.

The move towards a new policy started Nov. 29 when a group of six substitute teachers presented the school board and Flones with their suggestions.

“It is about 80 percent of what we wanted,” Wright said. “It’s a good first step. There has only been a $2 increase in the last 15 years.”

The substitute shortage in the district has been on the mind of many. Substitute teachers are often called to fill in for uncovered class periods.

“The shortage has been evident, but I think they [the school district] tried to avoid it by filling in with active subs,” Wright said. “Many of us work six periods without proper compensation.”

WHS Principal Bob Celebrezze understands the substitutes’ concerns.

“In 1985, I was a long-term sub in Sacramento at $125 a day,” Celebrezze said. “I think being a sub is a difficult position. My mother was a sub.”

An annual meeting for substitute teachers was included in the policy along with proper Make Your Day training with pay.

The school board presented no opposition to the proposal, Harris said. There is “still room for improvement” in the next school year, Marboe said.

“It was rewarding to work on this. It got us into one big group. We got to know each other better,” Harris said. “It will make us better as educators and people.”