Kelly Services gets five-year contract from school system
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“As a whole, we’ve been pleased with Kelly Services. They’ve relieved us of a major burden,” said Director of Schools Dr. Jerry Hale.
Kelly took over the school system’s substitute service beginning with the 2000-2001 school year. Prior to that time, the school system was responsible for training and administering all substitutes. When a teacher needed a sub, it was his or her responsibility to find one. Dr. Hale said teachers would sometimes have to personally call between 50 and 75 people.
With Kelly Services, he said, the substitute pool is more centralized. Now when a teachers needs a sub, all he or she has to do is call either Kelly’s local or national office. Kelly is then responsible for finding and placing a sub, thus relieving teachers of the often time-consuming chore.
Dr. Hale added Kelly also provides substitutes with better training than school system did. “Statistics show over a 13-year period, almost a year of that students spend with substitute teachers,” Hale said. “We’re pleased these substitutes can now actually come in and deliver a lesson, not just baby-sit.”
This school year, Kelly has placed substitute teachers a combined 5,890.5 days – with a fill rate of 99.9 percent. Kelly was unable to fill substitute requests for 27 days. Kelly currently has a substitute pool of 138 people.
While letting Kelly Services take over the substitute service has meant a slightly higher cost for the school system, officials believe it is worth it. Although the new contract is for five years, it will be reviewed every year and either side can opt out at anytime with 90 day’s notice. To be reviewed annually will be teacher and administration satisfaction with Kelly as well as the company’s fill rate.
Because the school system is making a more long-term commitment to Kelly, it will see savings of over $23,000 over the five-year period.