The school board has increased the pay for substitute teachers by $1 per hour, hoping the small raise will help ease chronic staffing shortages.

The school board approved raising substitute teacher pay to $17 per hour, or $127.50 per day, up from the previous rate of $16 per hour, at its meeting on Aug. 18. The decision reflects concerns about the district’s ability to maintain adequate classroom coverage when regular teachers are absent.

The $17 rate is for substitutes who lack a state teaching certificate; the rate is $18 an hour for certificated teachers.

Superintendent Joshua Garrett said the district hopes that even the small increase will encourage more community members to consider working as substitutes, a role that has been regularly difficult to fill in recent years.

“I know it’s not a big raise, but it’s what we can afford to do this year,” Garrett said in an interview the day after the meeting. “We know that every little bit can help.”

The challenge of finding reliable substitute teachers has become a pressing issue for school administrators across the country, and Wrangell is no exception.

Garrett explained that the demand for substitutes remains highly unpredictable, with staffing needs fluctuating dramatically based on illness outbreaks, family emergencies and other unexpected absences among regular teaching staff.

“We never know when there will be a sickness that hits the school population,” he said. “Sometimes, it’s possible to see only a couple of teachers get sick with something going around, and other times it could be several who get sick. We need to be ready to fill those spots as soon as they come up.”

Beyond the unpredictable nature of the work, Garrett acknowledged the personal demands placed on substitute teachers, who must often rearrange their schedules with little notice. He said he particularly appreciates substitutes’ willingness to answer early morning phone calls and adapt their plans to help the district.

“Those are never phone calls we look forward to making, because you never know what someone might have going on in their life at the time,” he said. “Some people need a couple days of notice, and others only have specific times of availability. But we will do everything we can to work with that.”

To qualify for substitute teaching positions, candidates must pass background checks and demonstrate the ability to work effectively with children. However, Garrett emphasized that the district welcomes applicants from all professional backgrounds and experience levels.

“We try to understand what it is that each individual does well, and we’ll try to put each person in areas where they can do their best work,” he said. “We’re going to do all that we can do.”

The pay increase is part of broader efforts to make substitute teachers feel valued and connected to the school community, according to Garrett.

“In order to minimize the difficulties with keeping substitute teachers, we want to make sure our substitutes feel appreciated and connected,” he said. “I personally want them to know that I think they make a difference.”

Anyone interested in working as a substitute teacher can call the school district office at 907-874-2347.