Did you know…

That school systems across Ohio, and perhaps across the country, have a critical need for substitute teachers and classified employees (clerical, food service, transportation, custodial/maintenance staff, and instructional aides)?

Some positions, such as substitute teacher, transportation driver, and instructional aide, require a special license or permit. Other positions, such as clerical clerk, food service staff, and cleaner, while perhaps requiring some training, do not usually require a special license or permit. As an example, Ohio requires substitute teachers to hold a teaching license valid for service as a substitute teacher. Generally, the entry level substitute teaching license requires the holder to have a bachelor’s degree in some field of study. The applicant’s degree does not necessarily need to be a degree in Education.

But…

The Ohio General Assembly has given school districts temporary authority to establish the district’s own education requirements for substitute teachers. A few central Ohio school districts will employ individuals to serve as a substitute teacher who have not yet completed a post-secondary degree, while others will not. This practice extends throughout Ohio with the prevalence of non-degreed individuals serving as substitute teachers being greater in some areas of the state than others.

If you are looking for a part-time position with flexible workdays and would like to assist your local school district to meet a critical need, you might consider serving in a substitute teaching or classified employee capacity. As position qualifications differ from state to state, and may, as they do in Ohio, differ from school system to school system, you should contact your local school district to determine the need for various types of substitute employees and gain information regarding the qualifications necessary to serve in each type of substitute position.

Interested but still have questions? Contact Fred Fastenau, Coordinator of Teacher Candidate Supports at ffastenau@otterbein.edu or 614-823-1301.