Guthrie Public Schools has officially partnered with ESS to manage its substitute teacher staffing, aiming to improve low fill rates that have forced building administrators and teachers to step away from their primary roles to supervise students.
The agreement, approved at the May 12 school board meeting, follows years of efforts to resolve a persistent shortage of substitutes. On some days, the district reported coverage falling below 50%.
“There are times that staffing is at 50% or less,” Superintendent Dr. Mike Simpson told school board members. “The solution has been teachers taking on extra classes or students being placed in the auditorium or cafeteria. Our building leaders cannot lead their buildings if they’re babysitting kids who aren’t getting the instruction they need.”
ESS, which already works with other districts across the state, including Choctaw, Shawnee, Jenks, Bixby, Sapulpa, Pryor, and Lawton, began training new Guthrie substitutes this week. On Tuesday, around 30 individuals participated in a training session, with additional recruiting and onboarding continuing on Wednesday.
Simpson said he reached out to other Oklahoma districts currently using ESS and received positive feedback. “They said that they did improve their rate, and ESS sets goals for improvement and follows through,” he said. “This is something we want to try to improve what we’re doing.”
Substitute teachers will become employees of ESS, gaining access to weekly pay, health benefits, 401(k) options, and continued support. Current GPS substitute teachers can remain in their roles through ESS and will maintain their existing pay, with additional perks.
“We want to make it clear that the people who have been loyal to us are going to get paid the same amount as what they’ve had,” Simpson said. “They’ll get paid quicker and have an opportunity for some additional benefits that we’re not equipped to offer.”
ESS will also provide ongoing training. “At times, substitutes were onboarded without much training. They do it one or two times and don’t want to do it again because they feel like they were just thrown in,” Simpson said. “This model is different—they must go through training before they begin.”
Under the agreement, ESS also takes over payroll and staffing logistics, giving the district more flexibility. The company will have access to the same scheduling system currently used by GPS and will be responsible for assigning substitute teachers.
ESS Substitute Pay and Billing Breakdown:
- Non-Certified Substitute – Full Day: $60.00 (District billed $83.70)
- Certified Substitute – Full Day: $75.00 (District billed $104.63)
- Non-Certified Substitute – Half Day: $30.00 (District billed $41.85)
- Certified Substitute – Half Day: $37.50 (District billed $52.31)
- Long-Term Certified Substitute (after 10 days): $100.00 (District billed $139.50)
Simpson acknowledged that using ESS will be a financial investment, especially since the district previously saved money when positions went unfilled. “This will cost the district money, but the alternative is students not getting instruction and principals unable to do their jobs. We want to give our kids the best chance to learn.”
He also emphasized that this is a trial. “This is a one-year agreement—try it and see if it improves our fill rate and alleviates some of the challenges we’ve faced.”
District officials hope the added support and professional approach from ESS will not only benefit students and staff but also bring confidence to teachers who may need to step away from the classroom. “I would hope this brings a level of comfort to our teachers knowing someone qualified will be there while they’re out,” Board President Tina Smedley said.
With summer recruitment underway, Guthrie Public Schools and ESS are working to ensure more qualified substitutes are in place before the new school year begins. Those interested in becoming a substitute can still apply with ESS.
If you’re interested in becoming a substitute teacher, please visit this website.
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