The school board voted unanimously July 9 to raise the hourly pay for substitute teachers by an additional dollar, bringing the rate to $18 per hour for the 2026-2027 school year.

The decision marks the second pay increase approved by the board in a year. The board  raised the rate for the 2025-2026 school year from $16 to $17 per hour, or $127.50 per day, in an effort to recruit more candidates.

Those rates apply to subs who don’t have a state teaching certificate. Subs with a certificate will earn $1 an hour more, at $19 an hour, for the 2026-2027 school year.

“We continue to examine ways we can make our substitute teachers feel more valued and part of our educational community,” Schools Superintendent Joshua Garrett said July 10. “Addressing the hourly rate is one of the small things that we can do to show the value we put on their service to our students.”

Building a dependable substitute bench directly benefits classrooms, he said, explaining that it allows students to keep up with lessons, lets teachers return without a backlog and helps schools avoid last-minute schedule changes. 

He described the hiring push as a community effort that pays off in steady learning and calmer school days.

“We would love to increase the number of people on our substitute teacher list,” Garrett said. “Teachers get sick, take vacations, travel for school related events missing days throughout the school year. Having caring people ready and willing to step in provides a continuity of learning that is so important for our students.”

The district requires applicants to pass a background check and demonstrate they can work well with children. The superintendent said the district welcomes people from all professional backgrounds and experience levels.

“If anyone is interested in joining our community and assisting our teachers and students in this way, please reach out to Kim Powell in the district office for a substitute teacher application,” he said.

Applicants with questions about scheduling, pay and qualifications can contact Powell at 907-874-2347 or via email at kpowell@wpsd.us.

The first day of classes will be Aug. 25. Teachers start work Aug. 20-21 with in-service days.