The Boulder Valley School District recently doubled its substitute teacher pay on Fridays in response to an ongoing substitute shortage that's worsened this school year amid pandemic-related labor shortages.

"We're really serious about doing everything we can to solve this problem," said Superintendent Rob Anderson. "We said, 'Let's really up the pay to something that will get people's attention."

Boulder Valley counted about 900 substitute teachers in its pool last school year. This school year, the pool has shrunk to about 360 people. The district also has shortages of bus drivers, food service workers, custodians, paraeducators and child care workers.

The neighboring St. Vrain Valley School District has about 350 people in its substitute pool, about the same number as last year, according to district officials. Superintendent Don Haddad said the district is always looking to increase its numbers, but is "doing OK" on filling teacher absences.

In Boulder Valley, Anderson said, the district and the Boulder Valley Education Association agreed the substitute shortage should be a priority, noting students don't have the same classroom experiences when a school is short substitute teachers and paraeducators.

"It's also creating added stress on our teachers, who have to give up planning time to cover classes," Anderson said.

Teachers in both districts have taken to social media to encourage people to join the ranks of substitute teachers. Others spoke at recent school board meetings, urging the district to raise the pay rate.

Jenn Bones, a paraeducator at Mapleton Early Childhood Center, urged the district to increase pay, more aggressively advertise and temporarily relax eligibility requirements at a school board meeting earlier this month, before pay was increased on Fridays.

"In schools and programs across the district, staff are stretched to the brim covering classes and some programs have had to temporarily close due to lack of sub coverage," she said.

Boulder Valley last school year increased substitute teacher pay to $150 for a full day, then dropped it back to the regular $100 for a full day at the start of this school year. In the past, the district has tried paying more to substitute at high needs schools and paying more for working both Friday and Monday.

Anderson said the district decided to try doubling the pay on Fridays because that's the day that's been the toughest to get substitutes and when the most teachers are out. The higher pay, he said, will hopefully entice college education students, parents and retired teachers into trying substitute teaching.

"My hope would be that they fall in love with the school district and stick around," he said.

He said paying more on Fridays also essentially raises the overall pay rate for those who already substitute teach for the school district five days a week.

Still, he noted pay increases likely won't be enough to completely solve the shortages, especially because retired teachers, who are older and in a higher risk group for COVID-19, may be reluctant to go into elementary classrooms with unvaccinated students.

Robin Walter, a Boulder Valley substitute teacher, said the Friday pay increase should help fill teacher absences on what's been a historically challenging day to get coverage, but is skeptical it will solve the problem long term.

She said Jeffco Public Schools, for example, bumped its daily pay to $150 this school year, allowing subs to earn $750 if they work a full week. Even with the Friday increase, she said, Boulder Valley subs would still earn less, $600, for working a full week.

Other than Fridays, Boulder Valley has a lower daily pay rate than many neighboring school districts. St. Vrain Valley pays $115 a day. Adams 12 pays between $115 and $155 a day, depending on qualifications.

"For the work substitutes do, paying them just above minimum wage will no longer be an option if the districts are interested in attracting and retaining quality substitutes," Walter said. "When you look in the community and there are jobs that are paying significantly more that do not require the education, certification and background checks that a substitute position requires, it speaks volumes about the value of substitutes in general."