How to Become a Substitute Teacher in California: Guide to Credentials, Benefits, and More
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Published on: 01/25/2024
Last Updated: 10/31/2024
9 minute read
Variety, flexibility, exhilaration, fun鈥攖here are many potential reasons to serve as a substitute teacher.
Yet, the nation is suffering from a severe shortage of educators, particularly in California. 1,2 In 2022 alone, the Golden State grappled with 10,000-plus teacher vacancies鈥攁 gap that continues to disproportionately affect lower-income students.3
If you鈥檙e exploring the idea of filling this void and doing so in the sunny state of California, the first question is: What will be required of me?
Fortunately, you鈥檙e in the right place. Here鈥檚 how to become a substitute teacher in California鈥攁nd the benefits that may arrive with the job.
What Does a Substitute Teacher Do?
Substitute teachers replace full-time, regular instructors who may be out due to an illness, a vacation, a sabbatical, or any other type of time off.4 Typically, a substitute teacher will helm a classroom for a short time during teacher absences; that said, they may also find roles for a half or full academic year鈥攊f, say, a teacher goes on maternity or paternity leave.
While a substitute teacher might be in a classroom for only a brief time period, their tasks mirror that of a permanent teacher, with duties that include:5
- Supervising the classroom and the behavior of students
- Monitoring attendance
- Offering instruction in specific subjects
- Adhering to the regular teacher鈥檚 lesson plan
- Supplying educational support to students
- Dispensing quizzes, tests, and homework
- Maintaining the order and cleanliness of the classroom
As you can imagine, these are all vital to education. Accordingly, substitute teachers are expected to be well-versed in taking over a classroom on short notice鈥攋ust as they鈥檙e expected to adjust swiftly, think fast on their feet, and exude confidence and authority.
What are the Requirements to Be a Substitute Teacher in California?
The requirements to become a substitute teacher are rigorous but arguably well worth it. In addition to completing your undergraduate education鈥攚hich we鈥檒l delve into below鈥攜ou鈥檒l also be asked to hold an Emergency 30-day Substitute Permit or, for longer assignments, an Emergency Career Substitute Permit or a Teaching Permit for Statutory Leave.6
These permits are issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. They require an application, a $100 fee, and the following documents:7
- Transcripts 鈥 A copy of your official transcripts from an accredited university or college is needed to demonstrate successful completion of a bachelor鈥檚 degree program.
- Personal details and fingerprints 鈥 Permanent and substitute teachers in California must submit fingerprints to LiveScan, which conducts a background check.
- Basic skills proficiency coursework and exam 鈥 After July 1, 2024, these are necessary to certify that you have a handle on the essential skills (and knowledge) needed in the classroom.
If you haven鈥檛 earned your bachelor鈥檚 degree yet, don鈥檛 despair: the California Commission on Teaching Credentialing also administers an Emergency Permit for Prospective Teachers, which enables students working toward a diploma to sub. That said, to obtain this particular substitute teaching permit, you must have completed a minimum of 90 academic units. An application, fee, background check, and basic skills exam are also required.
What are the Steps to Becoming a Substitute Teacher in California?
How to become a sub teacher in California is a common question for those interested in exploring teaching job opportunities across the state. Whether you鈥檙e looking for a side hustle, or simply want to test the waters before committing to a 鈥減ermanent鈥 teaching position, these are the specific steps to jumpstarting a substitute teaching career in California:
Earn Your Bachelor鈥檚 Degree
Unless you apply for the Emergency Permit for Prospective Students described above, you must possess a bachelor鈥檚 degree from an accredited university. A bachelor鈥檚 degree in education may be a terrific choice, but substitute teachers have a broad range of educational backgrounds with degrees in:
- Psychology
- Early childhood education
- Counseling
- English
- Sociology
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Art history
Your best bet is to examine your long-term professional goals and passions鈥攖wo issues an admissions counselor can help you navigate.
Take Additional Qualification Tests
After completing your bachelor鈥檚 degree, you鈥檒l be required to earn a minimum score of 123 on the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), which assesses your math, reading, and writing knowledge.
To stand out from your peers (and to potentially attract attention from top employers and school districts), you may also consider additional tests, such as the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET)鈥攁n exam designed to verify your knowledge in a single subject, like sociology or English.8
Pass a Background Check
Child safety is paramount in public and private schools; as such, all teachers鈥攊ncluding substitutes鈥攎ust pass a background check through the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This ensures that candidates don鈥檛 have a criminal record involving children. Fortunately, through LiveScan, these results are usually available within three days to a week.
Get a Tuberculosis Test
Child health is equally imperative. To this end, the state of California requires teachers to get a TB test 60 days prior to applying as a substitute instructor.
Building a Substitute Teaching Toolkit
A degree and admissible test scores are a surefire start, but additional work should be done before you step into a classroom to sub鈥攏amely, assembling a toolkit to help you breeze through your workday and make a difference. This might include:9
- Gaining knowledge on the latest education technology 鈥 Familiarizing yourself with the most up-to-date technologies used in schools鈥攕uch as interactive whiteboards, educational games like Socrative, and video platforms like Animoto鈥攚ill not only help you stay relevant but may also give your students a dynamic, immersive learning experience.10
- Putting together a physical toolkit 鈥 Sure, classrooms are often equipped with the basics, but you may feel better prepared (and more assured) if you have a go-to kit that contains pens, pencils, a timer, and other classroom essentials.
- Creating a visual reminder of student expectations 鈥 One of your biggest responsibilities as a substitute teacher is maintaining order and positive, proper behavior in the classroom. With this in mind, you might consider creating a poster you can take from school to school (and class to class) that outlines your rules and expectations.
Furthermore, you may want to consistently brush up on your knowledge of lesson planning and create inviting, fun activities appropriate for multiple grades and ages.
Exploring Substitute Teaching Opportunities in California
With more than 39 million residents and 939 school districts, California has many teaching opportunities.11 Private and public schools aren鈥檛 your only options, either. You might also want to think about investigating:12
- Summer school programs
- Childcare facilities
- Camps
- Private tutoring positions
- Testing centers
- Libraries
Further, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing advises inquiring about the school district鈥攐r districts鈥攖hat interest you.13 Bear in mind that rural areas in the state may especially be in need of substitute teachers.14
Applying to Be a Substitute Teacher
There are several resources to aid in your search for a substitute teaching job, such as:
- EdJoin.org
- California County Superintendents
- Online job boards, such as Indeed and LinkedIn
To entice employers, you may want to highlight what sets you apart, whether that鈥檚 an English as a Second Language (ESL) certification or Bilingual Authorization, on your curricula vitae.
Benefits of Becoming a Substitute Teacher
Substitute teachers can relish plenty of perks inside and outside of the classroom. These include:
- Autonomy 鈥 Serving as a substitute teacher, as opposed to a regular teacher, gives you the capacity to set your own schedule. This may be especially appealing if you鈥檙e an entrepreneur, artist, or small business owner. It鈥檚 also a great match for retirees, students in master鈥檚 and doctoral programs, and stay-at-home parents who want to bring in additional income.
- Diversity 鈥 One of the greatest thrills of becoming a substitute teacher in California (and beyond) is the sheer range of experiences you鈥檒l acquire. You might teach high school seniors Spanish one day and fill in as a second-grade English teacher the next. This can help stave off monotony and ensure that every workday is exhilarating.
- Experience 鈥 There are few professions that allow you to explore what an average day looks like before you make a commitment. Substitute teaching is one of them. It can help you answer the questions 鈥淚s being a teacher worth it,鈥 and 鈥淪hould I be a teacher.鈥 If yes, this experience may pave the way to a full-time teaching role.
Above all, you鈥檒l be in the perfect place to make a powerful impact on a child鈥檚 life and supply them with the knowledge they need to thrive.
Grow Your Career in Education with Additional Credentials
Substitute teaching in California is a flexible and rewarding way to gain experience in the education field. Are you Intrigued by becoming a substitute teacher and hoping to work in California? While California distributed 67,000 substitute teaching credential permits per year prior to COVID, it鈥檚 since seen a radical reduction in applicants.16 Filling this gap may reward you and your community.
Perhaps you鈥檙e interested in learning about full-time teaching. 樱花视频 has a handful of programs that can help you prepare for work as a teacher in California, such as a credential in multiple-subject teaching, a credential in single-subject teaching, and a credential in education specialist instruction, which will permit you to work with children with learning disabilities.
The qualification to be a substitute teacher in starts with 樱花视频. Request more information today to launch your career.
Sources:
- Ordway, Denise-Marie. 鈥淭he Substitute Teacher Shortage: Research Reveals Why It Warrants More News Coverage.鈥 The Journalist鈥檚 Resource, January 30, 2023. ;
- Allyson Aleksey | Examiner staff writer |. 鈥淪ubstitute Teaching in San Francisco in Dire Need of Resuscitation.鈥 San Francisco Examiner, April 25, 2023. ;
- Hong, Joe. 鈥淪ubstitute Teacher Shortage Hits California鈥檚 Low-Income Students Harder.鈥 CalMatters, May 12, 2022. ;
- Pavlou, Christina. 鈥淪ubstitute Teacher Job Description.鈥 Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better, April 26, 2022. ;
- Substitute teacher job description [updated for 2023] - indeed. Accessed December 16, 2023. ;
- 鈥淪ubstitute Teaching Certification Options.鈥 Substitute teaching certification options, August 28, 2023. ;
- Lambert, Diana. 鈥淲hat You Need to Become a Substitute Teacher in California: Quick Guide.鈥 EdSource, March 3, 2023. ;
- 鈥淐set Test Info: 2023-24 Dates, Fees, Testing Locations & Prep Resources.鈥 CSET Test Info | 2023-24 Dates, Fees, Testing Locations & Prep Resources. Accessed December 16, 2023. ;
- Post, Denver. 鈥淓ssential Tips and Strategies for Substitute Teaching Success.鈥 Denver Post Content, September 27, 2023. ;
- Chauhan, Ashutosh. 鈥11 Digital Education Tools for Teachers and Students.鈥 eLearning Industry, May 12, 2021. ;
- Person, Hans Johnson, Eric McGhee, and Marisol Cuellar Mejia. 鈥淐alifornia鈥檚 Population.鈥 Public Policy Institute of California, November 2, 2023. .
- Johnes, Simona, Simona JohnesSimona Johnes is the visionary being the creation of our project. Johnes spent much of her career in the classroom working with students. And, Yakob, Scienceadmin, and Cin J Sheppard. 鈥淲hat Do Substitute Teachers Do in the Summer - 19 Jobs.鈥 What Do Substitute Teachers Do in The Summer - 19 Jobs, September 13, 2022. ;
- Substitute Employment Opportunities. Accessed December 16, 2023. ;
- 鈥溾楴o One Is Coming to Our Rescue鈥: Inside Rural California鈥檚 Alarming Teacher Shortage.鈥 Los Angeles Times, August 1, 2023. ;
- fpm3.com, ip-172-17-0-124, and Samantha Shaw. 鈥淭op Ten Reasons to Become a Substitute Teacher.鈥 ESS, August 31, 2023. ;
- Von Moos, Amanda. 鈥淪trengthening Substitute Teaching in California.鈥 California School Boards Association, June 7, 2022. ;
