How to Obtain a Substitute Teaching Certificate

Substitute teaching can be a very rewarding job for the right person. It is most sought after by those whom love children, and those whom have school-age children. The position is a nice source of a second income and offers very convenient working hours.

The guidelines for earning a substitute teaching certificate varies slightly within each school district. The following requirements are those of Mobile County, Alabama, but should provide a general guideline of the procedure within most areas.

To begin the process, complete a writing assessment and fill out an application at the Mobile County Human Resources Department. No appointment is necessary. You will need to bring a valid photo ID with you. You will also need to provide the name of the school where you wish your checks to be sent for pick-up.

The results of your writing assessment will be sent via snail mail and will take about one to two weeks to arrive. If your results were unsatisfactory, the writing assessment may be taken again. If the results were satisfactory, however, it is time to proceed to step three.

It is necessary, at this point, to obtain a TB skin test or chest x-ray. Of course, the results must be negative.

Fourth step: Upon receiving the results of the TB test, call the Human Resources Department to schedule a fingerprinting appointment. The appointment will take approximately 45 minutes.

You must bring the following with you to the fingerprinting appointment: TB test results; high school diploma, GED scores, or college transcript showing degree; Social Security card; driver's license with photograph; $20.00 money order for State Substitute Certificate; and a $49.00 money order for a background check. You will need to register for the Substitute Training Class after being fingerprinted.

The sixth step is the completion of the Substitute Training Class.

Once the substitute teacher process has been completed, you must wait to receive the substitute teacher's card before substitute teaching.