5610: Substitute Employment

The board authorizes the employment of a certificated substitute in the absence of a certificated staff member. In addition, the district may use a substitute in place of a regularly-contracted staff member when:

1. Enrollment uncertainties exist at the beginning of a school year; or
2. Resignations of regular staff do not allow sufficient time for the district to employ an immediate replacement.

On either of the latter occasions the district will employ a contracted staff person within a reasonable time.

The superintendent or designee will be responsible for establishing procedures by which teachers request substitutes and by which substitute teachers are assigned, employed and compensated.

Retired teachers or administrators may work up to the number of hours permitted by law.

If the superintendent reasonably anticipates that the list of qualified, willing substitutes will be exhausted, emergency substitute certification may be sought from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for persons not fully qualified for a teaching or substitute certificate.

The board authorizes the employment of a classified substitute in the absence of a classified staff member when a program will be adversely affected by the regular staff member’s absence and when a substitute can perform the duties in a reasonable manner. A classified substitute employee’s eligibility to purchase retirement service credit will be determined according to RCW 41.35 and retirement system rules. Substitute classified employee means a classified employee who is employed by the district. The superintendent or designee is authorized to establish procedures relating to the use of substitute classified staff.

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Cross References:

Board Policy 1610 Conflicts of Interest

Board Policy 5612 Temporary Administrators

Legal References:

RCW 28A.330.240	Employment Contracts
RCW 28A.400.300	Hiring and discharging employees — Written leave policies — Seniority and leave benefits of employees transferring between school districts and other educational employers
RCW 28A.405.900	Certain certificated employees exempt from chapter provisions
RCW 28A.410.010	Certification — Duty of professional educator standards board — Rules — Record check — Lapsed certificates — Superintendent of Public Instruction as administrator
RCW 41.32.570	Postretirement employment — Reduction or suspension of pension payments
Chapter 41.35 RCW	Washington school employees' retirement system
RCW 42.23.030(9)	Interest in contracts prohibited — Exceptions

Management Resources:

Policy News, August 2011 Legislature refines the retire/rehire law

Policy News, June 2008 Substitute Employment

Policy News, August 2001 Legislature Authorizes “RetireRehire”