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KUNA, Idaho (CBS2) — Local schools are struggling to find substitute teachers and the Kuna School District is no exception.

A spokeswoman said despite the pandemic, it has always been a challenge getting substitute teachers, and the district is actively looking for more.

“The challenge is finding enough people because our district is growing as fast as it is," said Deann Greany, Kuna's school district benefits coordinator.

Greany said one of the district's biggest challenges with substitutes is the current pay. Currently, substitutes at the district make $70 a day which amounts to $8.75 an hour.

Due to budget cuts and lack of federal funds, the district hasn't found a way to increase substitute teacher wages yet.

“We haven't been able to change that. We do review it, we go over it every year, but this year it's been even more of a challenge,” Greany said.

Greany said on a given day, the district has three to 10 substitute teacher jobs across the district unfilled.

“Teachers aren't in the building. It isn't because they've been sick, it's just because they've had their lives to live too and they've had to take days off for emergencies or just to keep going on their things," Greany said.

Greany said the district is trying to come up with incentives to get people to substitute teach.

“We are trying to find ways to do incentives, we do compensation if you do the STEDI training,” Greany said.

The STEDI training is an online orientation that takes six to eight hours and it gives substitutes more tools to better teach.

Greany said another incentive the district has offered substitute teachers is if they serve a 10-day pay period, they will receive a small financial compensation for working in the schools in person.

“Our numbers are much lower this year, and we are trying to give incentives of how we can get them to come in and help,” Greany said.

Greany said the only requirement to being a substitute is completing the online training and getting a background check.

She said despite the challenges, being a substitute teacher can be rewarding.

“It's an opportunity to work with the schools, work with the kids, and it's a job that doesn't get a lot of credit but it something that's simple. You are just spending time with the kids and showing them that learning is not a bad thing,” Greany said.

To sign up to be a substitute teacher at the Kuna School District click the link HERE.

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