Today, the lowest daily wage for a substitute teacher in Butler County is $90 a day. The highest rate maxes out at $125.

When schools don't have enough substitutes, unexpected teacher absences can affect other classes as teachers try to cover gaps. Officials in some county schools raised pay rates within the past year to better compete for substitutes.

Countywide, $100 a day is currently the going rate for a substitute teacher.

The South Butler County School District was the latest to up its pay rate. The district's school board voted in mid-August to add a few layers to its pay rate schedule, mimicking other districts in the county.

It still pays $90 a day, but substitutes now make $95 a day after 30 days and retired teachers make $100.

Other districts aim to compete for the limited number of substitutes by outsourcing hiring to a third party. South Butler uses Kelly Educational Staffing for that reason.

At the Butler Area School District, the school board voted in the spring to outsource substitute staffing to Education Staffing Solutions (ESS). That way, it can hire retired teachers without paying into state pensions funds.

The district is paying retired teachers $110 a day instead of the typical $100, according to Kristen Clouse, human resources director.

“I'm hoping we'll see a much higher fill rate this year,” Clouse said.

At the end of the spring semester, the district had substitutes to fill 88.7 percent of absences. That statistic includes paraprofessionals, who are typically harder to find substitutes for.

The district is also hiring specific substitutes to serve each of its buildings through ESS, Clouse said, which she believe might further aid its goal.

Butler County's other large school district, the Seneca Valley School District, similarly incentivizes retired teachers with a $125 daily rate. Regular substitutes there make $90 a day until their 30th day, at which point they hit $100 a day.

Several administrative office workers who were called for this report responded that their district is “not yet” outsourcing substitute teaching to a third party. However, aside from Butler and South Butler, only the Mars Area School District currently outsources its substitutes. It uses a company called Delta-T. Mars pays a flat $90 rate.

Both the Slippery Rock Area School District and Freeport Area School District offer only a flat $100 rate.

Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District pays $90 for the first 10 days, then $100 thereafter. Retired teachers start at $100.

Moniteau School District pays $90 a day for substitutes.

Of the smaller school districts in the county, the Karns City Area School District offers the highest rate. Substitutes start at $100 a day, then go to $110 after 30 days.

The figures listed in this report are for regular — not long-term — substitutes.