LEXINGTON — Substitute teachers will now earn $100 per day at Lexington Local Schools.
The Lexington school board voted Wednesday to increase the daily rate for short-term substitute teachers, effective Feb. 18.
Superintendent Jeremy Secrist said the previous rate of $80 was low compared to most area school districts. He cited a salary survey from the Mid Ohio Education Service Center, which stated the local average daily rate was around $100.
“This is not a major hit to the budget and we’re just trying to do anything we can to show people who are willing to work here we appreciate it and try to attract more,” Secrist said.
The board also voted to define a “long-term” substitute teacher as anyone who works in the same position for more than 20 consecutive school days. The long-term substitute rate is $110 per day.
Secrist said if a substitute fills the same role for more than 59 consecutive school days, Ohio law requires schools to pay a “Step 0” salary — the entry level teaching salary in that district.
“It doesn’t happen very often, but it has happened,” he said.
The board also voted to change the date for the class of 2021 graduation ceremony to June 4 at 7 p.m. Secrist said the plan is to have graduation in the stadium to allow for social distancing. June 5 and 6 at 7 p.m. will both serve as potential rain dates.
Treasurer Jason Whitesel announced the district had $262,000 in state funding cuts restored as a result of an executive order signed by Governor Mike DeWine in January. The district had been cut $477,000 in state funding last May due to the pandemic.
The district will also receive $900,000 through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II), a part of the federal government’s most recent stimulus package.
Before receiving ESSER II funds, districts have to demonstrate expenses tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re gathering some expenditures that we’ve already incurred, obviously, all the things that we have to do for our online curriculum, some of the safety measures that have been taken, to see what we can reallocate to that ESSER II funding,” Whitesel said.
During an update on the school construction project, Secrist shared that the bid day savings for the school construction project totaled $527,158.
The board also:
- Approved various coaching recommendations
- Approved a revised substitute teacher list from the Mid Ohio Educational Service Center
