Substitute teachers in the classrooms and after-school staff for Schoolmates are still in short supply as we head into October. The school district and the recreation department are both in need of extra help, reflecting trends across the state as school districts and charter schools say they are struggling to find enough teachers, substitute teachers, bus drivers, and COVID contact tracers to fill existing and new pandemic-related jobs.
Here’s where things stand:
PUSD raises compensation for substitute teachers
In an effort to attract more applicants, trustees approved an increase in pay for certificated substitute teachers from a $140 to $200 per day at the Sept. 22 school board meeting. The rate of daily substitute pay across 18 school districts in Alameda County ranges from $130 to $300. There’s no specific number of substitutes the district needs, but without a large enough pool to draw from, a site administrator or another teacher has to step in to watch a class. PUSD Director of Communications Brian Killgore says the best place to apply is through EdJoin.
Waitlists for Schoolmates at every elementary school
PRD’s Jackson Stearns reports that the department is still trying to fill at least six more positions across all three school sites. Although many families may have already made other arrangements, the waitlists at each site are still 20+ per site, he said. More information about hiring is available by contacting the PRD directly. In Facebook posts, Stearns said ideal candidates are “responsible, energetic, and caring” and have “experience working in recreation, camps, youth programs, or after-school setting.”