How to Become a Substitute Teacher: Step-by-Step Guide
What Does a Substitute Teacher Do?
No matter how hard-working a teacher is there will come a time when they can’t come into work. This may be because they’re sick, dealing with family issues, or any other number of legitimate excuses for missing work. When this happens, someone is needed to take over that teacher’s responsibilities during their absence. The people who do this are known as substitute teachers. They can cover for teachers of any grade from early childhood care through secondary school, and they can be asked to cover for a teacher for just a single day or for a more extended period of time.
Working with students, like this teacher is doing, is the goal of most people wanting to become substitute teachers.
substitute teacher working
What Qualifications Do You Need to Be a Substitute Teacher?
If you are interested in becoming a substitute teacher, you probably have many questions about how to accomplish this. For example, do you need a degree to be a substitute teacher, or do substitute teachers need certification? The short answer is, maybe. The reason that there is not a single definitive answer to these questions is because substitute teacher requirements can vary from state to state or even district to district. However, earning a high school diploma, an undergraduate degree, and acquiring certification are all possible things you might have to do to teach as a substitute.
While you will have to do some research on your own for the specific requirements of the district you want to work in, we will go over the various steps that you may have to go through to become a substitute teacher.
How to Become a Substitute Teacher
Step 1: Earn a High School Diploma
In most states and school districts, a high school diploma or the equivalent (like a GED) are the minimum requirements for substitute teachers. In some districts, if you have not yet earned an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, you may not be eligible for a position as a substitute teacher, but you may apply for substitute teacher assistant positions.
Step 2: Earn an Undergraduate Degree
Next, to maximize your job potential as a substitute teacher, you will want to complete an undergraduate degree program.
Some districts set an associate’s degree as the minimum for any kind of substitute teaching job.
Other districts may restrict long-term or higher-paid substitute teaching licenses or assignments to those with bachelor’s degrees.
The definition of short-term or long-term will depend on your state or district; this typically denotes the number of consecutive days a substitute teacher may spend in a single classroom.
Long-term substitute teaching assignments can have additional requirements as well, such as a degree or a certain number of completed credit hours in the subject you intend to teach.
If your state requires a substitute teaching license, a bachelor’s degree may be a co-requisite. In some states, like Kansas, you must also complete a state-approved teacher preparation program before earning your first license.
The following is a list of bachelor’s degree requirements per state.
STATE IS A BACHELOR’S DEGREE REQUIRED?
Alabama No
Alaska Varies by district
Arizona Yes
Arkansas No
California Yes
Colorado No
Connecticut Yes, but it can be waived if you have previous experience with children
Delaware Yes, but only for class A certification
Florida Varies by district
Georgia Varies by district
Hawaii Yes
Idaho Varies by district
Illinois No
Indiana No
Iowa Yes
Kansas Yes
Kentucky Yes
Louisiana Varies by district
Maine No
Maryland Varies by district
Massachusetts Varies by district
Michigan No, but you need at least 90 semester hours
Minnesota Yes
Mississippi No
Missouri No, but you need at least 60 credit hours
Montana Varies by district
Nebraska No
Nevada No, but you need at least 60 credit hours
New Hampshire Varies by district
New Jersey Varies by county
New Mexico No
New York Varies by district
North Carolina Varies by district
North Dakota Yes
Ohio Yes
Oklahoma Varies by district
Oregon Yes
Pennsylvania Yes
Rhode Island Yes
South Carolina Varies by district
South Dakota Varies by district
Tennessee Varies by district
Texas Varies by district
Utah Varies by district
Vermont Varies by district
Virginia Yes
Washington Yes
West Virginia Yes
Wyoming Yes
Generally speaking, the higher your level of education, the more opportunities you may have for longer-term assignments and increased pay. But even if you already have a bachelor’s degree, you may find that your district restricts some positions to those who have a professional teaching certification, or who have passed certain credentialing exams.
Step 3: Research and Complete Other Substitute Teacher Requirements for Your District
The necessary credentials for substitute teachers can be very different depending on where you intend to teach. Therefore, it’s important to research substitute teaching positions for your state and district to make sure you fully understand what is expected of you. Some additional things to look out for include:
Substitute teaching license or permit: Some states require licensure for all substitute teachers. This license is usually renewable.
Background check and fingerprinting: Most prospective substitute teachers must clear a criminal history background check, either before employment or as part of a licensing process. This process can also include submitting fingerprints to your public-school district; be sure to check with your district for specific instructions on where and how to complete fingerprinting.
College/university transcripts: Often, you will have to submit these documents as part of the application process, so it may be a good idea to obtain these as soon as possible. If the job does not require an undergraduate degree, you may still need to submit a copy of your high school diploma or equivalency.
References: Most substitute teaching applications require professional references from current or previous employers. Sometimes the school district will provide a reference form that your employer must submit themselves.
Physical health check: Some states and districts require that you submit confirmation of good physical health with your job or license application. You may also need to clear a drug test or tests for specific diseases like tuberculosis.
Safety training: In some districts, you’ll need to confirm that you have completed specific training related to classroom or child safety, including first aid/CPR/AED training, anaphylaxis awareness, and diabetes care.
Teaching experience: Some substitute teaching positions ask for prior student teaching experience or interning. Other districts provide orientation training for substitute teachers, which covers subjects like classroom management, instruction, and the teaching profession. Some training requirements may be statewide; for example, substitute teachers in Oregon must complete the Protecting Student and Civil Rights in the Educational Environment exam, while Virginia substitute teachers must receive training in how to recognize signs of child abuse.
Step 4: Apply for a Position as a Substitute Teacher in Your District
After completing your research, you should have a pretty good idea of how to sign up to be a substitute teacher in your district. Again, this process will vary depending on your location, but in general, you’ll find application details on your school district’s website. Your application process may involve creating an online account on an official website. Follow the instructions carefully and make sure that you have prepared everything that you need to submit your application, such as transcripts, references, training confirmation, fingerprint cards, and so on.
Because substitute teaching is usually an on-call role, you will most likely be applying to a pool of substitute teachers in your district, rather than one specific position. If your application is approved, you will then be able to accept assignments as they come up.
Substitute Teacher Salary and Job Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2019, short time substitute teachers make a mean hourly wage of $15.61, and a mean annual wage of $32,460. However, keep in mind that this wage can vary heavily between states. For example, this same data showed Montana having a mean hourly wage of $10.65 and Hawaii having one of $23.17.
Substitute teachers are constantly in need in all levels of primary and secondary education. While there are often plentiful opportunities to work as a substitute teacher, since your primary role is replacing that of the normal teacher when they can’t come in, work is not guaranteed every day.
Finally, while schools are the primary employer of substitute teachers, there are a limited amount of other employment options as well. A couple of other examples are working for daycare services and educational support services.
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