ORLANDO, Fla. – There’s no doubt that substitute teachers play an important role in the state’s education system, filling in the gaps when a classroom’s regular instructor is sick or unavailable.
Given that they are responsible for the care of children and teens, News 6 wanted to know what is required to become a substitute teacher in Central Florida.
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We contacted county officials across the region to find out what those requirements are. In every case, officials cited mandatory background checks and other screenings.
See the responses below. This post will be updated as more replies are received.
Brevard County
All applicants must be 21 years old and have a high school diploma or GED. Non Florida Department of Education certified applicants must complete an online course on classroom management, instructional strategy, professional practices and working with special populations of students.
All substitute teacher applicants must undergo background checks to include fingerprints and employment references as well as drug screening.
For more information, click here.
Flagler County
Substitute teachers in Flagler County must have a minimum of an associate’s degree or a Florida Teacher Certification, if applicable and be at least 18 years old.
Attendance at an orientation that details classroom management, emergency situations and more is mandatory. All substitute teacher applicants must undergo background checks and fingerprinting, which is then reviewed by the county’s human resources department.
To become a substitute paraprofessional, you must have 60+ college credits or an associate’s degree or passing of a paraprofessional test.
To apply for a substitute teacher or substitute paraprofessional job, follow the instructions on the website here.
Lake County
Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED, although a Florida educator certificate is preferred. Every substitute teacher is required to complete an orientation during the onboarding process that covers School Board policies, professionalism and ethics, classroom management, student safety, and instructional practices before they are allowed to start working in classrooms. Once the orientation is completed, we take fingerprints for a Level 2 background check that is conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, submit paperwork, and arrange for a drug test.
To be considered for a substitute teaching position, you must apply online here.
Marion County
Applicants must be 18 or older and have a high school diploma or GED and pass a criminal background check and drug test. An application for substitutes in Marion County includes questions related to prior employment, criminal history and more. Face-to-face training regarding safety protocols, fraud prevention and protecting students as first reporters is required.
For more information, click here.
Orange County
Substitute teachers in Orange County are hired through Kelly Education, a staffing agency.
Kelly Education released the following statement: “All Kelly Education substitute teachers undergo a comprehensive criminal screening process, including FDLE fingerprinting,national sex offender registry check,and a background check, in addition to state and district requirements for screening.Substitutes complete a prescreening training, which must be passed with a minimum of 80% mastery. We also perform education verification,including a minimum of 60 college credits for instructional substitutes, and reference checks for every candidate to ensure only the most qualified substitute teachers are placed in front of students in the school districts we partner with.Upon clearance, substitutes attend a required orientation specific to the OCPS schools.”
For more information, click here.
Osceola County
According to the School District of Osceola County, substitute teachers are required to have a high school diploma and be at least 18 years old. Substitute teachers receive a Level 2 background screening, a drug screening and take a training program that addresses school safety and security procedures, educational liability laws, professional responsibilities and ethics, school officials said. A check is also done to ensure that that applicant is not a sexual predator.
For more information, click here.
Seminole County
Substitute teachers in Seminole County must be at least 18 years old and complete an initial online training course that is part of the on-boarding process. An annual training program that covers overall policies, procedures, ethics training, safety and security training in held in July and August and is mandatory for all substitute teachers. Before being hired, substitute teachers must undergo the same criminal background screening that all Seminole County Public Schools employees undergo.
For more information, click here.
Sumter County
To become a substitute teachers in Sumter County, you must have a high school diploma or GED, pass a FDLE and FBI Level 2 background screening and undergo a pre-employment drug screening.
All employees participate in ESS’ multifaceted training program based on their position. The program consists of a in-person training seminar in your community, supplementary online training courses, and regular ongoing training initiatives throughout the year. Trainings are customized to both district and state standards.
For more information, click here.
Volusia County
To become a substitute teacher in Volusia County, you must have a high school diploma or GED, successful completion of the VCS substitute teacher training courses and undergo fingerprinting and drug screening.
Substitute teachers new to Volusia County Schools require Volusia County Schools training. By applying, you are tentatively applying for this STAR training course. The STAR course is included in the orientation.
Once you have applied for the Substitute Teacher Vacancy, you must fulfill the following requirements to be eligible to begin subbing in Volusia County Schools.
- Complete screenings required by all Volusia County School employees. (An email authorization to complete fingerprint and drug screenings will be sent to you once you have completed your work history and references in your application.)
- Complete Orientation and STAR training. (An email authorization to complete your orientation and STAR training will be sent to you once all screenings have been received by Volusia County Schools and cleared. All hiring paperwork will be completed at your scheduled orientation.)
For more information, click here.