Substitute Teacher Requirements | Swing Education

Requirements for becoming a substitute teacher

Introduction

If you are looking for part-time work that gives back to your community, you may be interested in becoming a substitute teacher. But where to start? Each state (and sometimes city or even school district) has different substitute teacher requirements, and it can be challenging to understand exactly what you need to do to become a substitute teacher.

At Swing, we’re dedicated to making the process of becoming a substitute teacher easier. We currently operate in Arizona, California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C. and we’ve created a comprehensive overview of the substitute teacher requirements in each of these states.

Ready to substitute teach with Swing? You can get started here.

Requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in Arizona

Substitute teachers are in high demand in Arizona, with nearly every district in the state reporting unfilled teacher vacancies. If you are considering becoming a substitute teacher, now is the perfect time to enter the profession.

Here are the requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in Arizona:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution,
A fingerprint-based FBI/DOJ background check, and
An application for certification

To apply for certification, you'll need to:

Pay a $60 processing fee,
Provide a photocopy of your fingerprint clearance card, and
Provide your official transcripts.

If you are looking for more in-depth information on the requirements and steps for becoming a substitute teacher in Arizona, check out our Complete Guide.

The Complete Guide to becoming a substitute teacher in Arizona

Requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in California

If you are interested in becoming a substitute teacher in California, you are pursuing a meaningful and rewarding career and can expect to be well compensated for your work.

Here are the requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in California:

A bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution,
A fingerprint-based FBI/DOJ background check,
Proof of a negative tuberculosis scan, and
A substitute or full-time teaching credential (optional, but highly beneficial).

To earn your substitute teaching credential, you’ll need to:

Pass a basic skills test (requirement currently waived through July 1, 2024),
Pay the $100 processing fee, and
Obtain an additional Live Scan fingerprint background check.

If you are looking for more in-depth information on the requirements and steps for becoming a substitute teacher in California, check out our Complete Guide.

The Complete Guide to becoming a substitute teacher in California

Requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in Illinois

Substitute teaching is a great job for aspiring teachers, part-time job seekers, and retired teachers or educational professionals who want to continue to make an impact in the classroom.

Here are the requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in Illinois:

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution,
A fingerprint-based FBI background check,
Proof of a negative tuberculosis scan and drug test (depends on district), and
A substitute teaching license or a Professional Educator License (PEL).

To earn your substitute teaching license or a Professional Educator License (PEL), you’ll need to:

Apply for a Substitute License in the Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS),
Pay the $50 application fee, and
Have your regionally accredited institution send your official transcripts to the Illinois State Board of Education.

If you are looking for more in-depth information on the requirements and steps for becoming a substitute teacher in Illinois, check out our Complete Guide.

The Complete Guide to becoming a substitute teacher in Illinois

Requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in New Jersey

Here are the requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in New Jersey:

Required: Associate's or Bachelor's degree or higher, unless holding the NJ 60 or 30 Credit Instructional Substitute Credential.
A fingerprint-based FBI/DOJ background check,
Proof of a negative tuberculosis scan, and
A substitute credential.

To earn your substitute credential, you’ll need to:

Seek and obtain a sponsor school district or organization (like Swing!) for criminal history record clearance,
Complete a criminal history record check process, and
Apply for the substitute credential online.

If you are looking for more in-depth information on the requirements and steps for becoming a substitute teacher in New Jersey, check out our Complete Guide.

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The Complete Guide to becoming a substitute teacher in New Jersey

Requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in New York

Here are the requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in New York:

An online nomination by a school Principal
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
A fingerprint-based FBI/DOJ background check
Proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking the English language

You can find more information about getting your full-time teaching certification in New York from the New York State Education Department.

If you are looking for more in-depth information on the requirements and steps for becoming a substitute teacher in New York, check out our Complete Guide.

The Complete Guide to becoming a substitute teacher in New York

Requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in Texas

Here are the requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in Texas:

A high school diploma or GED (depends on the district), or
60+ college credit hours (depends on the district), or
90+ college credit hours with a minimum 2.5 GPA (depends on the district), and
A fingerprint-based FBI/DOJ background check
To complete a substitute orientation or one-day training course

If you are looking for more in-depth information on the requirements and steps for becoming a substitute teacher in Texas, check out our Complete Guide.

The Complete Guide to becoming a substitute teacher in Texas

Requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in Washington D.C.

Here are the requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in Washington, D.C.:

60 credit hours or more in lieu of a conferred degree,
1-2 years’ experience working with students in a classroom setting, or
Experience as a retired teacher in DCPS and other U.S. school districts, or
A professional reference letter if you have less than 1 year work experience,
A fingerprint-based FBI/DOJ background check, and
An application to substitute teach.

If you are looking for more in-depth information on the requirements and steps for becoming a substitute teacher in Washington, D.C., check out our Complete Guide.