The 2024-2025 school year is now in full swing where I’m from, as well as all over the country.
There’s something about a new school year. Freshly sharpened pencils, newly printed schedules and shined-up school buildings.
We hold a great advantage as substitute teachers, too: We can join in on the back-to-school excitement (or mayhem), or we can choose to sit it out and jump in exactly when we feel like it.
Sure, there are difficulties to the job, but this scheduling autonomy is one of its great beauties.
Maybe you’re a mom of young ones desperate for this type of flexible job. Or you could simply be on the hunt for a reliably in-demand part-time position. Substitute teaching may be a good option for you at this point in your life.
Here’s how to make it happen in 2024:
How to become a substitute teacher
What has changed in the school system in 2024?
I’ve covered the process of becoming a substitute teacher in previous posts, but I always like to keep an up-to-date refresher.
Our school system is evolving massively, even in the past few years. Think of how vastly different pandemic-era teaching was to post-pandemic, for example. There’s a chasm of difference– and substitutes, often the last to be informed, need the pertinent details more than ever.
So, before I get into specifics on the substitute-becoming process, what are some timely updates for the field?
- School safety practices are now more important than ever
- Because of widespread student behavior issues, solid and effective behavior management practices are absolutely essential
- Basic working knowledge of school technology is now a crucial component to any smooth school day
Sure, things like staying up-to-date on pop culture references and knowing what a TikTok is will probably help you connect to students and stay culturally relevant, but those are mere add-ons to the fundamentals listed above.
This year especially, in a job that seems to get more difficult because of various factors, it is so important as a substitute teacher to maintain safe and orderly classrooms, to the best of your ability.
Decide if you really want to be a substitute teacher
It’s best to approach this job with realistic expectations.
It can be tough walking into a room of strange kids and having to assume command and execute lesson plans. Then again, you might have days so easy you’re elated you get paid for it.
In any case, know what the job entails: working with children, handling unexpected events, and (often) flying by the seat of your pants. Weigh the pros and cons.
Choose your schools
First, you’ll have to come up with at least a vague idea of which schools you’d like to sub in. It doesn’t have to be an exact list, but it helps to have a general idea, because different schools may have varying requirements.
My school district, for instance, has its own set of requirements for becoming a substitute. Once those are met and the process is complete, I have the ability to accept jobs at any of the 50+ schools in my district.
This is enough to fill my needed workload. Think about it: Large schools in themselves can likely keep a sub busy for an entire school year, with their multiple grades and multiple classrooms and myriad of coverage needs each day. (Keep in mind that school district sizes vary, but in general I find that having 5-10 schools to substitute at can be plenty of work for me, in my preferred grade levels, too!
Sometimes subs might be looking for work in charter or private schools. These often have their own set of standards to complete before handing over the keys to the kingdom. If you’re interested in a charter or private school, it’s best to call the school directly to ask about their requirements.
Check your school or district requirements
You’ll find the details of becoming a substitute with the school district in which you plan to teach.
There are federal policies, then state policies, but when it comes to substitute teaching, it really depends on the school district.
You can start your information quest with an online search. I found success in typing “(my district) substitute teacher,” and a step-by-step guide appeared to my aid in one of the top search results.
If the information cannot be found online, I suggest calling the school or district. A human resources employee can be helpful, but if they are not available, sometimes office staff can point you to the road map for becoming a substitute. They’ll likely be thrilled you’re volunteering to take up such an abandoned post.
Complete school requirements
After finding the list of requirements to meet, go ahead and check them off one by one.
Schools and districts vary. States vary on their requirements, too. Some may ask you to obtain extra education or complete a training course before starting to sub.
Though I already have my state’s teacher certification and an education degree, I still had to take the short online substitute training course and attend my district’s new-hire informational meeting. I also had to fill out the application with references and pass a background check and drug screening.
Complete the requirements piece by piece. Yes, it’s a nuisance to have to endure drug tests and fingerprinting and even trainings, but virtually any job you get requires those things, and you might actually enjoy yourself (in the trainings, that is! I can’t see how drug tests could be fun…)
Pick an assignment and get started
If you’ve completed your checklist for becoming a substitute teacher, congratulations! The last steps may include getting photographed and badged up at your district office, receiving various handbooks and informational paperwork, and gaining access to the absence management system.
A lot of school districts use systems for handling the job notifications and acceptances. Go in and familiarize yourself with the system you’ll be using. If there are preferences to set, go ahead and tailor these to your needs.
My district’s system allows me to pick what days or times I’d like notifications and the form of the notifications (phone call, email, etc.). I can also filter out extra schools I’m not interested in, whittling my list to only the schools I would take jobs at.
I figure there’s no point getting a notification at 2:38 p.m. that the PE teacher at a high school 55 minutes away from me needs coverage.
So, I whittle down pretty ruthlessly. Then I sign up for an app that delivers the notifications right to my phone, and these are also set to my preferences.
For schools without such a system, you’ll be notified of jobs however they want to notify you. I was in the sub pool at a small charter school one year, and the admin assistant would text me about upcoming jobs, the date and the grade level. I’d text back a yes or no. It worked back then when I was single and generally more responsive to things like that, but I no longer sub at that school. That arrangement wouldn’t work as well in my current situation. (I like to be able to deny tons of jobs through some faceless app and not feel bad about it!)
Once assignments start rolling in, you can choose to accept ones that fit your fancy. I make a habit of recording a job on my calendar as soon as I accept one. Like some people have nightmares about giving a speech without any pants on, my nightmare is signing up for a sub job and forgetting to show up.
Something I use to keep track of all this is a digital planner specifically for substitutes. This online calendar and chart is great for housing the myriad of job acceptances. It’s also a good place for record keeping– I take notes on classrooms to remind myself whether to accept more jobs there.
When you finally become a substitute teacher
Congrats! You’re part of the sub club. You are now an inside member of a very secretive yet very cool society of professionals making a difference in our education system daily.
(After all, some super heroes wear lanyards, school district badges featuring unappealing headshots, and mustard smudges from a rushed and frenzied lunch.)
Unfortunately, most school systems will have you wait a long two weeks before that satisfactory paycheck hits your account.
But you may have some more immediate rewards of your job well done– maybe an unexpected smile from a student, or a sweet moment with the class, or a wilting wildflower gift from an adoring Kindergartener fan.
No matter how your year has gone so far, I wish you the best for the remaining 2024-2025 school year. It’s not too late to turn things around and actually increase your chances of enjoying substitute teaching. I get it— I’m right there with you! And I am your No. 1 substitute teaching cheerleader. (Because go you!)
Poke around the site for more tips, and leave a comment if you found this particularly helpful!
