LOUISVILLE, Ky. — While Kentucky education officials are launching a recruitment campaign to bring in more teachers, officials with JCPS say they'll be staffed and ready to go for the first day of school.
But while they're prepared, they're also looking ahead.
JCPS is giving substitute teachers an incentive to get a first-hand experience at teaching in a classroom--an increase in pay.
But they say it's not necessarily in response to the teacher shortages happening state and nationwide, it's a push to get more people interested in a career in the classroom. The increase varies from $125 to $165 depending on your educational background.
"This is opportunity for people who are thinking, hey, maybe I'd like to try this, this could be something really great for me. People have come in starting as a substitute teacher and decided this is what they wanted to do and now they have a full-time career in teaching," Renee Murphy, the Chief of Communications for Jefferson County Public Schools, said.
You can also pocket an extra $20 a day if you work Monday or Friday or fill in for specialized areas.
JCPS is looking at fresh opportunities to attract new teachers.
"Recently we announced a new partnership with Simmons College of Kentucky, a new initiative to try and recruit more minority teachers especially, so we're looking at new ways to bring teachers into JCPS," Murphy said.
With teacher shortages at the forefront of conversations on the state level, schools all over the state are looking to fill those positions with qualified and passionate candidates.
"As we get closer to the first day of school, we'll have a better number to tell you where we are with our teachers and how many vacancies we have left to fill, but there are opportunities to be a permanent sub and there will be some classrooms that have that," Murphy said.
They are still looking for teachers and substitutes to fill their classrooms for the first day of school on Aug. 14. Click here for information on how to apply.
►Contact reporter Jessie Cohen at JCohen@whas11.com and follow her on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.