Other ways the district will meet class-size include paying middle and high school teachers to take on an extra period, expanding the I-Flagler virtual school program to accommodate more secondary students, and creating multi-grade classrooms, Valentine said.

Valentine’s initial plan to employ associate teachers rankled members of the district’s teacher’s union because it would cause a revision of the salary scale.

Still, the union wanted to team up with district officials to find a solution that was favorable to both sides, said union member Pam Vatten.

“We’re really trying to work together to solve this problem,” she said.

The hire of substitute teachers is ideal, especially because “the cost savings is dramatic,” she said.

Districts have until October to meet the class-size rule or risk losing state money.

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