As the Northside Independent School District (NISD) gears up for the 2024-25 school year, there is a significant push to expand its roster of substitute teachers. Despite a substantial pool of around 2,500 substitutes, the largest district in the San Antonio area is actively seeking additional applicants to ensure classrooms remain staffed throughout the year. According to KSAT, Kittiya Johnson, NISD's human resources director for auxiliary/classified/substitute employees, emphasizes the ceaseless need for more substitute teachers, despite the robust lineup already in place.
In efforts to attract more individuals to the substitute teaching profession, NISD has bumped up the compensation, offering up to $150 a day for the role, as KENS 5 reported. The pay scale is tailored, based on educational experience and the nature of the substitute assignment – whether short-term or long-term. Applicants are required to be at least 18 years old and, while experience working with children is preferred, it is not mandatory.
Understanding the pivotal role substitutes play, NISD acknowledges the contribution they make over a child’s educational journey. “Thank you for your interest in one of the most difficult jobs in education – substitute teaching. Very often, children will rely on the skills and abilities of substitute teachers for over one full year of instruction between kindergarten and twelfth grade,” the district stated on its website, as reported by KENS 5. With such a crucial impact on learners, the district is making a concerted effort to reinforce its substitute teaching fleet, delineating clear expectations and offering orientation to prepare them for their duties.
Additional incentives include increased pay for substitutes willing to work on challenging days like Mondays or Fridays, and specialized pay for those taking on special education roles. As part of bolstering support for such important positions, NISD extends free special education training to all professional and paraprofessional substitutes. After completing the two-part training, professional substitutes receive extra compensation for working in specialized instruction classrooms, "Professional substitutes who take the two-part special education training and work in specialized instruction classrooms will get $10.00 additional pay for a full-day assignment and $5.00 for a half-day assignment," as indicated by the district on KENS 5.
In reflecting on the substitute teaching experience, retired NISD teacher Heidi Christensen conveyed to KENS 5, “It’s the most freeing teaching job I’ve ever had." She elaborated on the autonomy that comes with the role, "The best part of substitute teaching is that you control where and what you teach and when you want to work. And, you don’t have to do any lesson plans or paperwork. It’s great!” Such testimonials stand to bolster the district’s campaign to recruit more subs, aiming to communicate the unique benefits that come with the territory.
NISD is poised to welcome back its faculty, staff, and regular teachers on August 12, while students are set to return to their educational routines today. Individuals interested in joining the district as a substitute teacher can find more information or apply by reaching out to the NISD Human Resources Department.
