The Mid-Prairie School Board met November 27. Photo by Sam McIntosh.

Mid-Prairie’s substitute teacher pay rate is the highest in the area once again.

The school board approved raising the rate from $120 to $135 per full day at their recent meeting. Superintendent Mark Schneider says the last time the rate increased was in 2012. Schneider says this new rate will put Mid-Prairie above surrounding districts like Washington, Highland, Lone Tree, and Iowa City, whose rate is $125. This pay increase is to encourage substitute teachers from the Iowa City area to come to Mid-Prairie. Schneider says the district has a shortage of substitutes, and when talking to substitute teachers from Iowa City, they said the rate of $120 wasn’t worth the travel. The rate is now $67.50 for half days and $135 for full days, with contribution to the teacher’s Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) account.