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Changes have increased the number of substitute teachers, but bus drivers are needed

 
Published Jan. 28, 2015

The Pasco County School District's effort to attract and retain more substitute teachers has begun to work.

At the start of the year, the district had 675 instructional and non-instructional substitutes on file. Now, it has 1,003, of which 872 are instructional.

But it's not necessarily for the reasons you might imagine.

The district didn't increase its pay, as some educators have recommended. It didn't hire a temporary employment firm, as other districts have done.

Rather, Pasco quietly reduced the qualifications to substitute. Instead of needing an associate's degree or 60 college credits, as neighboring districts require, Pasco substitutes now can get work with a high school diploma.

Officials changed the criteria in November.

"We're basically paying minimum wage for that position," human resources director Christine Pejot said, referring to the lowest level of substitutes. "I knew we were looking at increasing our pool size, and that was one way to do it."

The district has taken additional steps to deal with its substitute situation, such as reducing its need for substitutes by ending mass training days that took teachers out of classrooms. It also has worked on ways to make subs feel more welcome in schools, so they want to come back.

A new computer system allows the HR department to better track trends of which schools have trouble getting substitutes, Pejot said. Officials are looking at increased pay rates, as well, "for when we have an opportunity to do something with that," she said.

WANTED: BUS DRIVERS: Over the years, the Pasco school district has not struggled to find school bus drivers, as neighboring districts have.

With added programs and schools next fall, though, officials anticipate needing a much larger pool of drivers. So they've launched a campaign aimed at luring more people to the job.

In addition to posting ads on websites, the district will be putting up banners in front of schools that see a lot of traffic. The biggest need will be in central Pasco, where new routes will be added to take students to the Sanders Elementary magnet school and where Shady Hills and Quail Hollow elementary schools will be reopening.

The positions start at $12, nearly $4 more per hour than many substitute teachers earn.

Interested? Call (813) 794-1862, (727) 774-1862 or (352) 524-1862.

HIRING FREEZE: Pasco County schools have been told to expect $2 million less in state funding, because the state has more students than expected. To cope with the reduction, assistant superintendent for administration Kevin Shibley has imposed a rolling hiring freeze on newly vacant district-level positions.

Under the new procedure, hiring administrators must hold vacancies open for six weeks before filling them. They can advertise jobs as anticipated openings, but must wait at least six weeks between the date someone leaves and the next person begins.

"If there is a special or unique situation, the appropriate assistant superintendent can approve exceptions," Shibley wrote to staff. "Please understand that overrides will only be granted for critical or urgent needs."

The district also has planned midyear spending reviews, to determine where other cuts can occur with minimal disruptions to teaching and learning.

TOP HONORS: The Pasco Education Foundation will recognize the district's top employees during a celebration tonight at the Wesley Chapel High performing arts center. Three finalists are in contention for each category.

Administrator of the Year: Gulf High School principal Kim Davis, employee relations director Betsy Kuhn, student support programs and services director Melissa Musselwhite.

Teacher of the Year: Julie Chasney, Marlowe Elementary; Beth Hess, Hudson High; Beth Seletos, Mitchell High.

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Julie Beardsley, Wiregrass Ranch High; Margarita Diaz, Fivay High; Paula Pensyl, Land O'Lakes High.

Non-instructional Non-bargaining Employee of the Year: Carol Jugan, finance services; Lori Karpinski, PLACE; Linda Osuba, Odessa Elementary.

Contact Jeffrey S. Solochek at jsolochek@tampabay.com or (813) 909-4614. Follow @jeffsolochek.