Becoming a Substitute Teacher in New York, NY

Following current national trends, New York has continued expanding its educational system to cope with a rapidly growing state population. New teachers being hired brings the obvious need for more substitute teachers to fill in, making now a perfect time to look into a position as a substitute. Being a substitute teacher carries with it many perks, including a flexible schedule that allows for free time to do things like continue education, work a part time job, or simply relax on days off. Keeping a flexible schedule is important when becoming a substitute teacher as you may be needed on short notice. Substituting is a great experience for any potential full-time teacher as it allows the opportunity to test out the educational field before committing completely. Another bonus to substitute teaching is that most states do not require a Bachelors Degree, so it is possible to substitute teach while completing a 4 year degree.

Required Training, Qualifications, and Education

The requirement for a Bachelors Degree to substitute teach varies by district, so make sure to contact local schools and districts to verify if one is needed. In all cases it is required to submit to state and federal fingerprinting and background checks. Some districts may have other requirements so make sure to check before applying.

Licensure and Certification

The following situations are required for a substitute teacher license (maximum 40 days per year)-

  • Submit the Substitute Application through a local school system
  • Include any official transcripts, references, or other relevant material
  • Include required Application fee/s
  • Meet any additional state requirements

Career Expectations For Substitutes in North Carolina

The educational system as a whole has proven to be fairly resilient, and is continuing to grow as the nation comes out of recession. Economic upturn has allowed for more teachers to be hired, along with the fact that there is growing state and national populations means teachers are not only in demand presently, but will continue to be for quite some time. The educational system provides pretty secure jobs as teachers will continue to be in demand as long as population continues to rise, and there have been no signs of it slowing anytime soon. Because of the flexible schedule, substitute teachers find themselves with extra time on their hands to accomplish things like finishing Degree work or holding part-time jobs. Whether you want to ultimately be a full time salaried teacher or not, subbing looks great on any resume as it shows you not only have the capability to teach others, but the patience to deal with people who may not understand concepts right away.

Salary Expectation

Currently, the average salary for a Substitute Teacher in New York is approximately $34,000 a year (according to bls.gov) which is about 14% higher then the national average. Although New York has one of the highest substitute average salaries, actual pay can vary greatly and is dependent upon district, experience, and education. Additional income can be gained through other part time work when you are not substitute teaching.