A shortage of substitute teachers has prompted the Manteca Unified School District board to seek a waiver of the  required state test to allow the hiring of otherwise qualified college graduates.

The board, during an emergency meeting Thursday, authorized asking the California Department of Education for a waiver for potential substitute teachers to take the California Basic Education Skills Test.

MUSD Community Outreach Coordinator Victoria Brunn noted the district’s strict COVID-19 protocols that require quarantining when students are staff are exposed to someone who have some of the symptoms associated with the coronavirus has created a larger demand than usual for substitute teachers.

All classes so far when the district has been unable to secure a substitute teacher have been covered by administrators.

The need for substitute teachers is on top of the other reasons other reasons teachers may need to miss work including other illness, family issues, and professional training.

The district is looking for both long-term and short-term substitutes at the kindergarten through 12th grade levels.

The long-term rate of pay is $200 per day for 16 days or more in the same assignment.

There are three tiers of pay for short-term substitutes. It is $80 a half day and $160 a full day for one to 25 days; $82.50 a half day and $165 for a full day for 26 to 50 days, and $85 a half day and $170 a full day for 51 plus days.

More information can be found on the jobs by going to the edjoin.org site under Manteca Unified.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com