Oxford Schools is raising the pay for guest teachers in an effort to attract more certified substitute teachers to the district.

The new daily rate for substitutes who work in Oxford Community Schools will be $95 per day effective Nov. 6. The previous rate was $85 per day.

Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Nancy Latowski said ensuring that quality substitute teachers are available continues to be a challenge for districts across the state.

“Every district is dealing with this. I think it all really goes back to a shortage (of) teachers at this point. We’ve struggled with that (and) we will continue to work on it,” said Latowski at a recent board meeting.

During the meeting, Secretary Mark Stepek expressed worry that the district is not paying its substitutes competitively.

“That seems horrifically low to me,” said Stepek. “Is that standard?… For $100, I’ve got a lot better stuff to do with my time than waste a whole day with the school… I just want to make sure that we’re competitive.”

Latowski assured Stepek that district administration has done thorough research to ensure substitute teachers are receiving fair pay.

“It is (a) competitive (rate), compared (to other districts) within Oakland County. Most are paying around $90 a day… This will bring us to a very competitive rate. At the end of the year, we will reanalyze that (rate) again,” she responded.

In a later interview with this reporter, Latowski said the district is ‘very excited’ to be able to offer higher pay to guest teachers, adding that Oxford Schools has a strong appreciation for its substitutes.

“We truly appreciate what our guest teachers do every day. It’s rewarding, it’s challenging and it’s definitely necessary,” said Latowski. “We would love to speak to those people that may be interested in becoming substitute teachers and let them know all about it.”

The district contracts with Professional Contract Management, INC. (PCMI) to fill the substitute positions, which requires candidates to have official transcripts showing completion of at least 90 credit hours at a regionally accredited four-year college or university, or a State of Michigan Certification, and to successfully pass livescan criminal history records check.

To learn more, contact the human resources department at (248) 969-5000 or visit www.oxfordschools.org.