How to apply to be a substitute teacher.

January 7, 2025

There are many paths to apply to be a substitute teacher. Some of the most common include: visiting a school district job fair or website, searching job boards on the internet, or connecting with an education employment agency.

Ways to apply to be a substitute teacher:

School district website
Job boards
Internet search
Job fair
Education employment agency

Understanding substitute teacher requirements.

For 25+ years, Kelly Education has filled millions of classrooms across the country with substitute teachers. So, we're the experts in helping candidates through every step of the application process. So before applying, you’ll need to know the guidelines for becoming a substitute in your state and school district. Each state has its own substitute teacher requirements to become a substitute teacher. For example, some states require you to have a bachelor's degree, while others require only a high school diploma. Some school districts may require specific onboarding training, certifications, or teacher shadowing. The state requirements can be found on each state department of education's website or you can check this article to find minimum requirements in your state . You may want to contact your local school district to discover any district-specific requirements which can be higher than the state minimum.

Apply to be a substitute teacher through the school district.

Local school districts usually post substitute teacher jobs on their website. Often times, it includes a job description with specific job duties spelled out. They can also tell you where to apply to be a substitute teacher. If you meet the basic state-level requirements, the school district may ask for additional information, including:

Standard application

Employment eligibility verification

Mandated Reporter Training (to ensure proper reporting for suspected child abuse)

Payroll paperwork

Criminal background checks

Verification of substitute training

Find substitute teacher jobs on job boards.

The internet has replaced the local newspaper as the place to find a job. School districts now not only post open substitute teaching opportunities on their website, but also on social media pages and online job boards or aggregators. Examples of online job boards include Indeed, LinkedIn, and our favorite (our own) myKelly . Some districts also hire outside companies, like Kelly Education, to hire and train substitute teachers. More on that application process below.

Do an internet search.

You can search for "substitute teaching jobs near me" or "substitute teaching jobs in Maryland" or the state where you want to work. A few other good search terms include; education jobs, special education jobs, and Kelly sub. Here are few more tips to get the best results when searching the internet:

Use quotation marks around your search topic to get more specific results.

Use a minus sign to exclude words in your search. "Substitute teaching jobs-high school."

Use parenthesis to search for multiple jobs at the same time. "Substitute teaching jobs (science OR elementary)."

Attend a community job fair.

Community job fairs are an excellent resource for anyone looking to substitute teach. They present an opportunity to meet the school's hiring team and make a great first impression. You can do many things to ensure you make the best impression and complete most of them before the teacher job fair begins:

Research the hiring district before you go to the job fair so you can know what they may expect.

Write down your questions, so you don't forget to ask them.

Choose an outfit that is professional and appropriate for substitute teaching so recruiters can see you will follow school dress code policies, usually found on the school district's website.

If you have prior teaching experience or experience working with youths, bring references.

Create a brief statement to introduce yourself and practice it before you go.

Create a resume and make multiple copies to give to recruiters. Resumes should include accomplishments, certifications, experience related to substitute teaching, and anything else showcasing your abilities.

Note that you don't necessarily need a formal resume to apply to become a substitute teacher. However, it is still a good idea to create one. It gives the recruiter an easy way to conduct a brief review of your experience and skills. When attending a teacher job fair, have a positive attitude and be confident. You have likely already accomplished many outstanding professional achievements worthy of confidence. Be proud of yourself for taking this next step!

Inquire with an education staffing agency.

Your local school district may work with a recruiting and hiring company to help them find the best substitute teachers. Recruiters are experts in uncovering the qualities of the people with the most potential for success. You can contact them directly for guidance and information on how to apply to be a substitute teacher. For example, at Kelly Education, we will have you fill out an online form. Then a recruiter will contact you to walk through the entire application and hiring process. Our onboarding specialists will help you complete the application correctly and efficiently, so you can work soon after you apply. Remember, there are steps to the process that involve third parties that provide documentation. It can take a few days to a few weeks to have background checks completed and receive your transcripts.

Grow as a substitute teacher with Kelly Education.

If you are looking for more ways to improve your practice, we’ve got an entire library of articles. Here are a few more to read:

If you or someone you know is interested in substitute teaching jobs, fill out our brief interest form , and one of our recruiters will contact you to answer your questions.