DISTRICTS VIE FOR SUBSTITUTES; TEACHER FILL-INS GETTING HIGHER PAY, MORE INCENTIVES.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer

Substitute teachers are in high demand in the Santa Clarita Valley, the subject of bidding wars by school districts who rely on them to help manage overcrowded campuses and class reduction programs.

The substitute pool is limited, and districts are battling one another by raising daily pay and other incentives to attract the best.

The five school districts in the Santa Clarita Valley offer $100 to $115 a day for substitute teachers, some of whom are registered to work all the districts. Most have raised their rates by at least $20 since 1995, and some are starting to change their rates yearly.

The districts try to stay competitive, even if it means pay hikes to get the best for children when teachers are sick or out of the classroom at conferences.

``We definitely do compete with other school districts in the area,'' said Bill McDermott, director of personnel and business services for the Castaic Union School District. ``We have to compete.''

Castaic pays substitutes $105 for K-5 and $110 for grades 6-8, an increase of $25 a day compared to three years ago.

``Usually districts will have certain people that get to know the administration,'' said McDermott, adding that Castaic has 65 substitutes in its pool. ``They get to know the administration, get to know the teachers and do an excellent job.''

Offering $115 for a day in the classroom, the Saugus Union School District tops the local substitute pay scale.

``Quality subs are the ones that are called frequently among all the school districts,'' said Ron Saltinski, assistant superintendent of personnel and technology.

Getting the best substitutes can make an essential difference in the classroom, Saltinski said.

``The loss of just one day is just not acceptable,'' he said. ``Our subs don't just sit there. The subs that consistently work for us are the ones that carry the instructional program left by the teacher.''

Kim Maize, 45, of Valencia has been working exclusively for the Saugus district for the past four years.

``I knew I could go to three other districts, but I stayed with Saugus,'' said Maize, who had worked with the district in various other jobs.

Maize worked in the Saugus district when it was the lowest paying in the valley.

``This year when they raised the pay, they went from the lowest to the highest,'' Maize said. ``It made it that much more desirable to work for Saugus.''

Saugus, the largest elementary district in the valley, had 8,000 substitute assignments last year and averages 30 to 45 substitutes a day.

On staff development days, the district said it has called in as many as 120 subs.

Substitutes are not only used when filling in for sick or absent teachers but also fill in for teachers who are in training programs, away with a school activity or for staff development.

``I'm trying to get hired permanently, and they said this is the way to go,'' said June Bailey, a credentialed teacher who taught in private schools for 20 years. ``I'm signed up at Hart, Saugus, Sulphur Springs and Castaic. I prefer Castaic Middle School.''

Last month, the Newhall School District raised its daily pay for subs from $85 to $105. Last year, the district hiked the pay by $5 a day.

``Everyone's competing with everyone,'' said Beverly Knutson, Newhall's assistant superintendent of personnel services. ``It's unfortunate but needs to be done.''

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Box: Substitute Teachers in Demand