How to Begin Substitute Teaching
Substitute teaching is an easy to way to make extra money if you are in between jobs and possess a college degree. Each school district has slightly varying requirements, but for the most part the steps listed below apply to all districts.
Things You'll Need
- College transcripts
- Four-year college degree
- Copy of driver's license
- Social Security card
Instructions
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Application Process
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1
Request your undergraduate transcripts. No matter where you seek to substitute teach, you will have to provide an official copy of your transcript in order to have a complete application. You should contact your college registrar to find out the process for obtaining an official copy of your transcripts.
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2
Go to the school-board website for your respective county. Usually there is a link that will direct you to the substitute-teaching application. Note that most counties will only allow residents of that county to substitute teach within the school system.
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3
Print and fill out the application. If you have a criminal record, be prepared to submit an explanation of your court case and official copies of any documents that show the outcome of your case.
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4
Submit the application and any required documentation to the school board's human-resources office. Most counties will require you to submit the application, your official college transcript and a copy of your driver's license and your Social Security card.
Post-Application Process
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5
Register for and attend substitute-training classes. Once you have submitted your application, you will have to obtain a substitute-teaching certificate in order to become eligible for receiving class assignments. Each school-board website will contain a link to the required classes for that particular county, most of which cost a small to medium fee. You will need to submit the substitute-teaching certificate to the school board upon your completion of the class.
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Once your application is accepted, all school boards will require you to get fingerprinted and take a drug test before you can accept any assignments.
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Each county awards assignments to its list of substitute teachers differently. Some counties require teachers that are available for assignments to call in every morning to determine vacancies, if any. Some use a lottery system where they call the next person on the list so everyone gets a fair chance. Make sure to find out the method used by the county you are going to be teaching in, so you can maximize your potential for teaching assignments.
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Tips & Warnings
Make a list of all required documentation and submit a complete packet. This will avoid any delays in processing.
If you have been convicted of a felony, you will probably not be eligible for substitute teaching.
