Dolores County School District seeks substitutes to keep classes running

When a teacher is out in Dolores County, the substitute behind that desk can decide whether the four-day week stays on track. Dolores County School District RE-2J is recruiting people to keep classes covered in Dove Creek, where the district runs a Monday-through-Thursday student week and a 158-day work calendar with only limited Fridays for professional development or workdays.

The district says substitutes play a vital role in supporting students and keeping learning moving when teachers are absent. Its hiring notice seeks reliable, caring and motivated people with positive communication and classroom-management skills who can follow lesson plans and support students. Applicants need at least a high school diploma or equivalent, must pass a background check and must already hold Colorado substitute authorization or be willing to obtain it.

Colorado offers three substitute authorization lengths, 1-year, 3-year and 5-year, and the state says those credentials can be used in public-school districts, charter schools, BOCES and approved facility schools. State guidance says substitute pay in Colorado typically ranges from $100 to $200 a day, while Dolores County School District RE-2J’s substitute schedule also lists competitive daily pay starting at $16 an hour and flexible scheduling. The district’s 2025-26 pay plan further distinguishes rates for current Colorado licensed teachers, three-year substitute licensed staff and one-year substitute authorized staff.

The district also built in incentives to keep people coming back. Under its 2025-26 certified salary schedule, bonus stipends are paid at $50 after 10 days and $100 after 20 days of substitute service. In a small system, that kind of coverage can matter quickly: one missed day can ripple into combined classes, shuffled supervision and extra work for remaining staff if no substitute is available.

That pressure is easier to understand in a county with an estimated population of 2,466 and a school system serving 649 students in 2025-26. More than half of those students, 54.2%, qualified for free or reduced lunch, underscoring how much families rely on a stable school day and consistent adult coverage. Ty Gray is superintendent of Dolores County School District RE-2J, which is based in Dove Creek, the county seat. For parents and staff preparing for next school year, the substitute pool is not a side detail. It is part of whether the district can keep classrooms open, staffed and predictable when absences happen.