APS Launches Pay Increase and Incentives to Attract Substitutes

New Rates Are Among Highest in Northern VA 

Updated Nov. 2: Arlington Public Schools continues to have a need, like other school divisions, to find substitute teachers to cover classes when teachers are not in school.

To increase the substitute pool of candidates, the Superintendent announced a plan at the Oct. 28 School Board meeting to increase the rate of pay for daily, permanent school daily, and long-term substitutes. The increased changes will place APS as a frontrunner in the Northern Virginia Region for substitute pay rates with these changes that will take effect on November 1.

The new pay rates are as follows:

In addition to the rate increase, APS will be recognizing, and incentivizing substitute based on the number of jobs they sign up for each month. The program, Go for the Goal, will start on November 1 and reward substitutes that are working daily jobs a bronze star after working 50 jobs, a silver star after working 75 jobs as well as a $50 bonus, and a gold star after working 100 jobs as well as a $100 bonus.

“Our substitutes have always played a vital role in supporting our students, and today they are called on more than at any other time due to the pandemic,” said Dr. John Mayo, Chief Operating Officer, APS. “We hope that by increasing our pay rates and including more incentives, we will attract more qualified substitutes to provide much needed relief to our schools and teachers who are feeling the strain of covering classes due to not having enough substitutes on a consistent basis.”

With this approach, APS is looking to expand the 665 substitutes currently in the pool and encourage more of the current substitutes in the pool to pick more jobs each month.

To apply, visit the substitute webpage.