NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The public schools are hoping to recruit and retain substitute teachers by bumping up their pay. 

 

The School Committee earlier this month approved upping the pay scale by $35 to $55 a day and creating a new base of $130 for substitutes with fewer credentials. 

 

"It's been very hard to get substitutes. Many substitutes sign up to sub in multiple districts, and so in order to remain competitive ... we really needed to kind of align our expectations for substitutes, as well as the salary with our neighboring districts," said Superintendent Barbara Malkas.

 

Nancy Rauscher, director of school finance and operations, said she had contacted business administrators at other schools to work out what they were paying substitutes.

 

"I did a blend, and it was Lenox, Mount Greylock and Hoosac Valley, and we're landing somewhere right in the middle," she said. "Mount Greylock is at the highest and then Lenox and Hoosac Valley are lower."

 

Mount Greylock is paying $210 for a certified/retired teacher, Hoosac $140 and Lenox $150, with less for just a college degree. North Adams has been paying a straight $115 per diem and $130 for permanent daily subs. 

 

The new scale increases the per diem and permanent to $150 with college degree or $170 for certified/retired teachers.