How Do I Become a Substitute Teacher in North Carolina?

North Carolina substitute teachers provide an essential service.

The state of North Carolina has 115 local education agency offices that oversee the public schools on a county or city level. Substitute teachers teach classes on the elementary, middle or high school level when the regular teacher is unavailable due to personal illness, leave or other reasons. Substitute teacher candidates in the state of North Carolina looking for employment opportunities should contact their LEA for more information.

Things You'll Need

• Substitute application
• Letters of reference
• Notarized form
• College transcripts

Instructions

Steps

1. Obtain an application for employment from your local LEA. Complete your application according to the instructions.

2. Seek professional references from two people who have worked with you in a supervisory, voluntary or professional capacity. Friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers may not be used as references.

3. Fill out the notarized application supplement form in the presence of a notary public. This form is used to perform a criminal background check.

4. Obtain required college transcripts if applicable. Substitute teacher candidates are required to have completed at least 60 hours of college credit; provide a letter of recommendation from a principal or assistant principal; or provide a Substitute Effective Teacher Training Certificate.

5. Receive state approval. If approved by the state to be a substitute teacher, you will be notified of approval and invited to attend new substitute teacher orientation. At orientation you will complete related paperwork and have your name placed into the substitute employees management system.

6. Look for work. Substitute teachers are assigned a personal identification number allowing them to access the substitute employees management system. The system allows substitutes to review available positions and begin teaching.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are a previously licensed substitute teacher your daily pay rate may be higher than the standard rate.

• You must register separately with the LEA of each school system in which you wish to make yourself available as a substitute teacher.

References

• NCPublicSchools.org: Contacts for Employment
• Substitute Teaching for WCPSS