Become a Short-Term Substitute Teacher in Ohio

Like most U.S. states, Ohio is having a bit of a crisis in the field of education. The number of qualified, professional teachers is lacking, and the number of substitute teachers is just as short. Ohio is in severe need of good substitute teachers. The pay for substitutes is not as high as full-time, certified teachers, with the pay range in Ohio school districts between eighty and one hundred dollars per day, but being a substitute is a good place to start a career in education, or to test the waters and find out if the education field is right for you. If you are interested in becoming a substitute teacher in Ohio, the following are the requirements, along with the steps that must be completed to become licensed.

The main requirement for being a substitute teacher in the state of Ohio is having a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. If you have a bachelor's degree, and would like to be a substitute, you simply need to fill out the Ohio Substitute Teacher Certification Application and submit it along with your official college transcripts to the Ohio Board of Education.

Applicants must undergo a background check with both the state, and with the FBI. Any background check completed within the past year will be accepted. Applicants must also have, or have had, a tuberculosis test that returned a negative result within three months prior to their application.

Some school districts request applicants submit further information. Letters of recommendation, references, a resume, and pieces of identification, such as drivers' license and social security, are required by some school districts before a substitute can teach within their district.

Once these requirements are met, the application, background check and tuberculosis test, any qualified candidate can obtain a short-term substitute teaching license, which allows the candidate to teach in an Ohio classroom for up to five days at a time. For any period that goes beyond five days, a substitute must have a long-term substitute teaching license.

Any candidate has the option of going through Ohio Substitute Teacher Training before starting their work as a sub. The training is not mandatory for short-term substitution work in Ohio schools, but it does offer classroom management skills and more, and gets you a spot on a preferred substitute teacher list in your district of choice, making it easier to get the call for jobs in your area.

If you would like more information on becoming a substitute teacher in the state of Ohio, call the Center Coordinator at the School Study Council of Ohio at 614-785-1163, or write to the Coordinator at: 2080 Citygate Drive, Columbus, OH 43219.