Pay increases for Boerne ISD subs, auxiliary staffers
The Boerne Independent School District enacted “emergency” pay rates for all substitutes and auxiliary employees on Tuesday.
Boerne ISD said its new pay rates are the second highest in the region for substitutes, who are in unprecedented demand as the omicron variant of the coronavirus has caused teacher absences on top of high numbers of vacant teaching positions. Most school districts increased their pay for substitutes at some point during the pandemic.
Some districts are so strapped for substitutes that they have had to combine classes into auditoriums and assign an administrator to supervise.
Boerne ISD is dealing with teacher absences but hasn’t had to do that, said Bryan Benway, the district’s director of communications.
“The emergency pay rate increase serves as a reward and a thank you to our hard-working substitutes and auxiliary staff,” he said. “We want them to know how much we appreciate what they do for our students. We also are hoping to increase our sub pool and fill open positions in operations.”
The emergency pay period has no preset end date. All substitute teachers will receive an additional $25 per day, for both daily and long-term assignments.
All auxiliary employees — who include maintenance, custodial, transportation and food service staff — will receive an additional $2 per hour.
Benway said the district’s Human Resource Department surveyed area pay rates for substitutes and found San Antonio ISD has the highest. The increase at Boerne ISD puts it higher than that of Northside and North East ISD, he said.
Applicants can visit Boerneisd.net/jobs.
In December 2021, the district gave “longevity stipends” to all employees. For teachers, that meant they received $1,050, which netted a take-home amount of about $800 after taxes. Other employees received $325, which netted about $250 after taxes.
Boerne ISD used federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds to pay for the “longevity stipends” and for the new emergency pay for substitutes and auxiliary employees.