By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – District 87 is responding to neighboring Unit 5’s pay raise for substitute teachers by raising pay for its substitutes.
The District 87 School Board quietly approved the raise Wednesday night, a week after Unit 5’s board, with much more fanfare, decided to give substitutes their first pay hike since 2001.
It had been at least 15 years since District 87 subs received a raise, according to Superintendent Barry Reilly. Unlike Unit 5, District 87 took action without public discussion.
Some Unit 5 substitutes complained publicly to the board last summer about their pay and other working conditions. A committee was formed to make recommendations.
District 87 is boosting substitutes’ daily rate to $95, from $80. Unit 5 subs now make $85 a day for the first 15 days, $90 if they work more than 30 days, and $100 if they work more than 60 days. There are no financial incentives to work more days in District 87.
Retired District 87 teachers and administrators will make $115, up from $100, if they come back to work as substitutes. Retired Unit 5 instructors can up up to $120 a day, depending on their number of work days as substitutes.
Reilly said District 87’s director of human resources, Assistant Superintendent Herschel Hannah, has for several years worked to make substitutes feel valued in the school system.
District 87 substitutes get paid twice a month, just like regular teachers. Unit 5 subs successfully lobbied for twice-a-month pay checks instead of monthly pay.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at howard.packowitz@cumulus.com
