By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – Substitute teachers in Unit 5 are a step closer to receiving their first pay raise in 18 years.

Administrators have come up with a plan to raise pay from the current $80 a day, and also provide financial incentives for subs to work more days. Unit 5 and other districts struggle to overcome a substitute teacher shortage.

“Our goal of course is to have fewer non-covered sub jobs, which means more expense, but in that particular situation, more expense would be a good thing,” said Unit 5 Business Manager Marty Hickman.

He said subs would get higher pay for working more than 15 days and another raise for working more than 30 days.

Hickman is still working on the cost, and how the district will pay for the raises.

The school board is expected to act at the January 16th meeting.

Unit 5 substitutes waged a public battle for a raise starting back in August when long-time substitute Pamela Etcheson addressed the board.

Three more subs spoke out at a September board meeting.

Etcheson said she’s pleased at what’s been accomplished so far.

Unit 5 Human Resources Director James Harden also pledged twice-monthly paydays instead of one. Harden said subs will be given a district email account, and receive daily notices so they’ll feel more like they’re a part of the Unit 5 family.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]