Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements to become a substitute in Ohio?

To substitute in any school district in Ohio you must first obtain a Substitute Teacher License. The requirements for a license are:

Bachelor's Degree
BCII and FBI background check

Effective Nov. 14, 2007, to comply with House Bill 190, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) will require applicants for any license or permit that it issues to complete both an Ohio criminal background check and an FBI criminal background check, conducted by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCII).

Check with your local school district or your County Educational Service Center for information on how and where to complete the background check and process the paperwork for the Ohio Substitute Teacher License.

Download the license: Substitute Teaching License Application

Substitute teachers hail from a variety of backgrounds and experience. Those who hold a substitute license could be comprised of people with degrees in fields other than education, college students just graduating with their degrees in education, retirees, or people who want to work part-time as they raise their children.

Substitute teachers can earn anywhere from $75.00 to $100.00 per day. Contact the school district in which you would like to teach to find out the pay scale. Typically, substitute teachers are not eligible for healthcare benefits.

You must obtain a short-term or long-term substitute teacher license through the Ohio Department of Education. In order to obtain a license you must be sponsored by a school district or County Educational Service Center (ESC). These institutions should be able to perform the necessary background checks, gather the required paperwork from you and send these to the Ohio Department of Education requesting a license on your behalf. This is done on the assumption that you will work for their district.

Licenses are valid from July 1st to June 30th annually and may be renewed at the end of the licensing period at the request of the employing school district.

Some paperwork is needed to begin. You must show evidence of the following to obtain an Ohio Substitute Teacher License:

           •    Official Transcripts the University where you earned your Bachelor’s degree

         •    Substitute Teacher License application and $25.00 fee

         •    BCII and FBI background check performed electronically
              (check with the school district or county ESC)

 You should start obtaining the above materials now.

In the state of Ohio, training is not required to obtain your substitute teacher license. But, it is highly recommended and, in some cases, required for employment with school districts. Many districts provide orientation sessions but for fiscal reasons cannot offer professional development for their substitutes. The Ohio Center for Substitute Teachers (OCST) offers a one-day training session for substitute teachers. Participants are charged a nominal fee, which covers the cost of training materials, continental breakfast and lunch and follow-up consultation services. All participants who complete the training will receive an official SSCO Certificate of Completion and a recommendation to be considered for "preferred" status on participating districts' lists of substitute teachers.

Topics covered in the OCST training program include classroom management, instructional strategies, professional behavior and ethics and preparing emergency lesson plans. Building-level and district-wide legal issues and emergency procedures may vary by district. Try to visit the buildings within the school district in which you will be employed so that you are familiar with the procedures and key personnel.