HARRISBURG, Pa. — More than two years into the pandemic, the Harrisburg School District is still trying to dig out of the hole of substitute teacher shortages.
"I think we hit rock bottom," said Melissa Goldberg, a recruiting manager for Kelly Education.
Goldberg, who recruits for Harrisburg School District, said the shortage mainly stems from COVID-19 and widely-spread myths about substitute teaching.
"Some people just didn't know that this was an option and thought maybe you needed to have a degree in education or prior classroom experience," said Goldberg.
To recruit more teachers, the Harrisburg School District announced pay increases for all its substitutes.
Substitute teachers will now make $200 a day, and building substitutes (teachers who rotate to different assignments in the same building every day) will make $225 a day. The highest daily rate, at $250, will go to retirees of Harrisburg School District who substitute and teachers at Rowland Academy.
According to Indeed, this new pay represents a 58% increase from the previous average pay for a substitute teacher in Harrisburg.
Goldberg says the district is already seeing an impact.
"Anyone that may have been on the fence, they're starting to feel a little bit more comfortable going in, and I think the pay increase kind of sealed the deal," she said.
To apply to be a substitute teacher, all you need is a bachelor's degree or Pennsylvania Teaching Certificate.
The Harrisburg School District is looking to fill hundreds of positions.
"People really want to help the schools and their community and try to fill these classrooms and be a part of the solution," said Goldberg.
To see a list of positions available, click here.