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In an effort to mitigate shortages in substitute teachers and the impact the shortages have had on the continuity of instruction in the school division, the Suffolk City School Board has approved higher rates for short-and-long-term substitutes.

By a 6-1 vote at its Dec. 9 meeting, with Tyron Riddick voting no, the board approved a $125 per day rate for both degreed and non-degreed short-term substitutes, and a $175 per day rate for long-term substitute rates regardless of their degree status.

The changes, according to a memo from Superintendent Dr. John B. Gordon III, will be in effect for the rest of the current school year and will be reevaluated for any future years based on the conditions affecting classroom coverage.

Riddick said he wanted the pay for substitutes with degrees to be higher than those without them.

“I believe for those persons who’ve earned a degree, that there should be some differentiating in their pay,” Riddick said, “versus receiving the same as a person who does not have a degree. I could even see myself voting a yes to (pay) $150 for a short-term sub who has a degree, and leaving it at $125 for a short-term sub who doesn’t have a degree. But I believe there should be a difference in the compensation.”

Short-term substitute teacher pay had been $85 per day for someone without a degree and $100 per day for someone with a degree, according to the school division’s classification and compensation plan for fiscal year 2021-2022.

Long-term teacher pay had been $95 per day for someone without a degree, $125 per day for someone who had a degree but was not endorsed in the subject they were teaching and $150 per day for someone who had a degree and was endorsed in the subject they were teaching.

The School Board will next meet Jan. 4.