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What is an emergency substitute teacher permit or license?
February 6, 2025
An emergency substitute teaching permit is a
temporary certification that lasts 30 days or an entire year. Whether you need to get one depends on your state—some states don't have permits or licenses at all. Some states issue permits specifically for people who don't meet the state's minimum requirements. These permits or licenses typically have a relaxed requirement for college coursework.
Departments of education allow emergency substitute teaching licenses or permits, because many states are experiencing
teacher and substitute teacher shortages
. They need capable people in classrooms to deliver lessons to students.
I'm interested
How do I get an emergency substitute teaching license?
The first step in obtaining an emergency substitute teaching permit is to understand the requirements . Most states require the following:- Completed application with signature
- Criminal background check and fingerprinting
- Employment verification to work in the U.S.
- Official college or high school transcripts that show coursework
- Application fee. Costs can range from $50 to $100, sometimes more.
Requirements by state.
Not all states offer emergency substitute teaching certificates or licenses . But all states DO need substitute teachers! Check out our full list of basic requirements by state. Here are just a few examples of states that offer these special permits. You can read more about their specific requirements: Alabama Florida Georgia Missouri Texas WisconsinOther names for an emergency substitute teacher permit or license:
Though requirements vary by state, typically anyone with a bachelor’s degree can get an emergency substitute teacher certification . Other states require a high school diploma or equivalent with some level of college credit. States offer different types of emergency substitute teaching permits, including:- Long-term substitute teaching with educational obligation
- Long-term substitute teaching without educational obligation
- 30-day emergency substitute teaching
- Day-to-day substitute teaching
- Teacher cultural/exchange
- Classroom monitoring permit
- Emergency designated subject career technical 30-day permits
Training when you work for Kelly Education.
Before hiring, Kelly Education requires our substitute teachers to complete our free ClassSmarts online training that takes less than 90 minutes. Once hired, Kelly Education substitute teachers must complete our paid New Hire Orientation. This one-hour virtual session details Kelly Education and the district’s substitute teaching policies.Grow with Kelly Education.
If you want to explore a career path in teaching, make extra money, help your local school district with a teacher shortage, or make a difference in students’ lives, getting an emergency substitute teaching certification may be an option worth considering. We also have a library of helpful articles for substitute teachers. They include: Interested in joining our team? Fill out our brief interest form and one of our recruiters will contact you to answer your questions and share more about opportunities to become a substitute teacher with one of our school district partners. * Information subject to change. This is a general guideline. School districts may have more requirements, in addition to state requirements.
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