ASHLAND — The Ashland City Schools board of education approved raises for substitute teachers, substitute bus drivers, and a slew of other substitute positions at its Monday meeting.

Substitute teachers had their pay rate increased from $85 to $110 a day, substitute bus drivers had their hourly rate increased from $12.50 an hour to $16 an hour, and other substitute certified personnel like custodians and cafeteria workers had their pay increased from minimum wage to $13 or $14 an hour. 

Interim superintendent Steve Paramore said the raises are necessary to keep the district competitive and potentially attract more staff.

“We have an opportunity to snag a couple more subs than we had in the past with that rate,” Paramore said.

The raises might also cause commercially licensed drivers to come “out of the woodwork” and sign up to be a substitute driver at the district, which has not had any substitute drivers “in years,” Paramore said.

The district currently has just enough staff for its bus routes after navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and a nationwide bus driver shortage.

The superintendents of school districts in Ashland County — who try to keep the substitute rates the same across the area — recently agreed amongst themselves to raise them, meaning that pay bumps at other districts are likely to follow, Paramore added.

The board of education at the Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center already voted to give substitutes a raise on Jan. 19.

The last time substitute teachers received a raise was in 2021, when the rate was increased from $80 per day to $85 per day, an amount that long-term Ashland sub Rick Crooks called “an insult” in August.