College Station ISD trustees did not decide Sept. 15 whether administrators should take substitute-teaching assignments. During a workshop session, the board examined the idea and indicated that it would need more detail and refinement before a vote. The discussion preceded the board’s regularly scheduled 7 p.m. meeting at the CSISD Boardroom.
What has been proposed
Trustee Chris Field suggested testing the concept with one administrator substitute-teaching day in the fall and another in the spring. He said classroom time could help administrators and trustees better understand how board decisions affect schools and could signal support for teachers, according to Community Impact. The proposal remains under consideration; the district has not adopted a requirement for administrator substitute days.
Why the issue is under review
CSISD is preparing for an estimated $8.3 million shortfall in its 2026-27 budget while also dealing with declining enrollment, according to Community Impact. The district’s substitute fill rate is about 80%, which Trustee Kimberly McAdams said does not provide enough coverage across the district. McAdams also said she had worked as a substitute during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The comparison trustees discussed
The discussion included El Paso ISD’s central-office substitute program. That district requires salaried administrators to cover as many as eight substitute days each year, and officials estimate the arrangement could save up to $255,000 annually, El Paso Matters reported. CSISD’s proposed two-day pilot would be substantially narrower than that model.
Questions raised by trustees
Trustee Heather Simmen questioned the implications of having administrators serve as classroom substitutes while noting that administrators already enter classrooms for observations. Trustee Kristin Wilson said substitute assignments could give administrators more direct exposure to the district’s day-to-day work. Board President Kim Ege said the proposal required further development, and trustees indicated that the subject could return at a future meeting before any vote.
Current substitute rules remain separate
The pending administrator proposal does not change CSISD’s stated requirements for regular substitute applicants. The district’s substitute-teacher information page says teacher substitutes must provide a college transcript showing at least 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university and complete an orientation covering the district’s fingerprinting process. Those requirements apply to the existing substitute process, not to a policy the trustees have not yet approved.
