Jocelyne Williams will have a little more to cheer about this year when Friday rolls around.
In an effort to boost its substitute teacher numbers, Henry County Schools will pay substitutes like Williams every Friday instead of the more typical once-a-month salary distribution schedule.
“Getting paid once a month is difficult because my family and I had immediate needs that I couldn’t fulfill until the last day of the month under the old system,” said Williams, a 33-year veteran of Atlanta Public Schools who began substituting in Henry shortly after her retirement in 2016.
“But now I can have that money in my hand in five days,” she said.
Henry leaders said the move has proved fruitful. As students headed back to class Wednesday, the district had around 900 substitutes, about 300 more than had been hired at the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year, Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis said.
The south metro Atlanta school system would like to have as many as 1,200 substitutes to be comfortably staffed, Davis said.
“School leaders, particularly principals, have a lot on their plate to find substitute teachers in their early morning calls,” Davis said, adding that the district turned to a staffing company after exhausting every option to attract substitutes on its own. “Now that is completely taken off their plates.”
The school system’s decision comes as districts across the metro area have tried different methods in recent years to attract substitutes, including boosting hourly pay and partnering with staffing companies. Fayette County last year opened up the substitute ranks to interested school bus drivers in an attempt to boost its substitute staff.
Henry Schools in June hired staffing company Education Management & Staffing Solution or ESS to oversee operations of the district’s substitute needs. That includes finding candidates, paying salaries and overseeing benefits. Substitutes can earn anywhere from $110 to $145 a day based on experience and position, the district said.
ESS will bill the district monthly for management duty costs incurred, the district said. Henry budgets about $4 million annually for substitutes, including salaries and benefits.
Substitute teacher Betty Watts said in addition to weekly pay, she was attracted to Henry offers because of its flexible hours and the ability to choose at which school she fills in.
“My preference is to work at the elementary schools,” said the retired dietitian, who has been substitute teaching in Henry since 2013. “And I work maybe five months out of the year. I like long-term stays to get to know the kids.”
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