JEFFERSON TWP — South Butler County School Board played it safe at Wednesday's meeting in setting substitute teacher pay rates.

Board members clashed in a 5-3 vote that approved a slightly adjusted rate system for substitute teachers.

The school paid a flat rate of $90 per day last year.

The new system for the coming school year will pay standard substitutes $90 per day; subs serving for 31 or more days at $95 per day; and $100 per day for retired Knoch teachers returning as subs.

The district hires substitutes through Kelly Educational Staffing.

Board member George Zacherl said the district has struggled in recent years with its ability to hire enough substitute teachers to cover its needs.

“Right now with Kelly services, we're getting a fill rate of about 80 percent,” Zacherl said. “What if we raise the rate in the hopes of filling these positions.”

Zacherl suggested a rate of $115 per day, and if the district didn't see an improvement in fill rate, then it could lower the rate.

“I think we should raise that rate to see if it'll affect the fill rate,” Zacherl said.

Superintendent Dave Foley said he spoke with surrounding school districts and only one district, which he did not name, paid its substitutes $100 per day.

“I asked them how that impacted the fill rate, and they said it really didn't,” Foley said.

Board member Rebecca Boyd said it's not feasible to increase to $115, and then reduce the rate the following year if it fails to affect fill rate. “I'm saying you can't go to $115 for one year,” Boyd said. “It's hard to take back what you give.”

Boyd said the fill rate is an issue throughout the county. She said if the district raised its rates higher, then other schools in the county would, too.

“You would have to live with that,” Boyd said. “Not only that, but every other district around here is living with that, too.”

“I'm not worried about any other district,” Zacherl said. “I'm worried about the South Butler School District.”

Zacherl was joined by board members Jackie Pfeiffer and Linda Rieck in voting against the rates. Zacherl said the decision mirrored other motions that showed an inconsistency in the board's decision-making.

He said it seems strange the board is less willing to pay substitutes to correct the fill rate but was willing to consider reducing the school's taxes by 2 mills, a measure that failed last year.

“I'm really disappointed that we didn't roll the dice on the substitute pay,” Zacherl said.