Substitute Teaching Information
Apply for a Substitute License
In order to be a substitute teacher, you must meet these requirements from the Illinois State Board of Education.
Apply for a Short-Term Substitute License
In order to be a short-term substitute (STS), you must meet these requirements from the Illinois State Board of Education.
Short-Term Substitute (STS) Teacher Training
Short-Term Substitute (STS) Teacher Training is required for individuals who want to pursue a Short-Term Substitute teaching license. Applicants for a STS teaching license must hold an Associate degree or have completed at least 60 credit hours from a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Curriculum, classroom management techniques, school safety, and general district/building operations will be covered during the training. Please join us to start your journey toward becoming a short-term substitute teacher!
After completion of this training, participants will need to apply for and be granted a valid STS Teaching license with the Illinois State Board of Education. Once an STS license is obtained, the license holder can apply with any public school district statewide for a short-term substitute position. Please visit specific district websites to look for job opportunities. All hiring will be determined by individual school districts.
License Reimbursement
If you have a substitute license (or STS license) issued AFTER July 1, 2017, you may qualify for reimbursement of the substitute license application fee. In efforts to reduce the substitute teacher shortage, ISBE offers a reimbursement of the application fee to qualifying applicants. To qualify:
- Your sub issuance date must be later than July 1, 2017
- You must work at least 10 full school days within one year of your issuance date
- You must apply for the reimbursement within 18 months of your issuance date
If you meet these requirements, please print and complete this ISBE form.
Once you complete the form, give it to the school or district official where you are working. The form must be returned to ISBE by the school or district official. Forms submitted by the applicant will not be honored.