The South Butler County School District is struggling to find substitutes when teachers call off sick, and the district’s superintendent has come up with an innovative way to address the problem.

Last week, Superintendent David Foley pitched the idea of a “wellness incentive” for the district’s 166 teachers. It would pay each of them a $1,000 annual bonus in two installments for not taking any of their allotted 10 sick days during the school year. One installment would be paid before Christmas break and one at end of the school year.

The district budgeted more than $275,000 for substitute teachers this school year, and $180,000 has been spent so far. Paying the bonus to all 166 teachers would cost only $166,000.

According to the U.S. Office of Civil Rights, a teacher who is out for more than 10 days in a school year is considered chronically absent. A 2017 study by Fordham Institute reported that 28 percent of teachers working in traditional public schools are chronically absent.

In Pennsylvania, 32.1 percent of traditional public school teachers are considered chronically absent, according to federal Office of Civil Rights data.

Clearly, some absences are unavoidable — teachers are only human. But compared to their counterparts in other industries and other countries, U.S. teachers seem to have poor attendance. On average, they miss about eight school days a year due to sick and personal leave; meanwhile, the average U.S. worker takes about 3.5 sick days a year.

Parents may be concerned that a sick teacher who comes to work in fear of losing the bonus could spread illness through the classroom or school, but each teacher still has three personal days which can be used.

Foley said only one teacher has not taken a sick day so far this school year.

He said he has not talked to the union representing the district’s teachers about the potential program, which would require a memorandum of understanding with the teachers.

We commend Foley for coming up with an out-of-the-box idea to a longstanding problem.