Owasso School Board Votes To Increase Pay For Substitute Teachers

The school board for Owasso Public Schools passed a proposal to raise pay for substitute teachers. The district said the move will make them more competitive with other schools in the market.

A district spokesperson told News On 6 the vote was a unanimous 4-0, with one member absent. Pay will be increased by $5 with future increases after 30 and 45 days of service, respectively.

It is the first time substitutes in the district will see an increase in pay since 2008.

Lisa Johnson, Director of Human Resources for Owasso Public Schools, said the district is seeing an overall decrease in interest in becoming a substitute. She said some have opted out this year because of COVID-19, while others have moved away or found long-term employment elsewhere.

Johnson said she hopes the pay raise will attract more candidates, which could be helpful when operating classrooms during a pandemic. It also keeps the district up to par with other schools.

“It is COVID, it’s really getting us to offering a competitive pay rate. We actually do have some subs that travel in from the Tulsa area,” said Johnson. “Right now we’re competing with those districts that are in that area so we want to make sure we’re competitive.”

No prior experience is necessary and training will be provided, according to Johnson. The district also has needs for bus drivers and child nutrition workers.

All of these opportunities can be found by Clicking Here.