Becoming a Substitute Teacher in Utah: Requirements & Licensure

<h2 id="section---RequirementsForSubstituteTeachersInUtah">Requirements for Substitute Teachers in Utah</h2> <p>While Utah does not require its substitute teachers to have a license, there are still a few criteria that interested candidates need to satisfy. These general requirements are shown in the table below. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>Education Required </td><td>Bachelor's degree (minimum)</td></tr> <tr><td>Exam Requirements </td><td> None</td></tr> <tr><td>Certification Renewal Period </td><td>Not applicable</td></tr> <tr><td>Requirements for Renewal </td><td> Submission of required documents and forms</td></tr> <tr><td>Average Salary (2018) </td><td> $33,630 (substitute teachers in UT)*</td></tr> <tr><td>Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026) </td><td>8% (preschool, primary, special ed, and high school teachers nationally)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---GeneralRequirementsAndBackgroundCheck">General Requirements and Background Check</h3> <p>The Utah State Board of Education requires each learning education agency (LEA) to submit an application for any substitute teachers they would like to hire; therefore, interested candidates must approach the school of interest in order to start the process of being considered for a substitute teacher position. These substitute teachers should have a bachelor's degree at the minimum and be able to pass a background check. </p> <p>The interested applicant can initiate the background check process through the Educator Licensing Online portal on the Utah State Board of Education website and select the Live Scan option. Once this is done, a Live Scan Authorization form will be sent to the applicant via email. The email will also contain information regarding the location where the fingerprint collection will be done. The fingerprint scan must be done with 60 days of initiating the process. It may take up to 25 business days for the institution to complete the scan and another few weeks for the applicant to be informed of the results. The results of the scan will also be sent to the Utah State Board of Education. If the interested applicant has any concerns about the results of the background check, it is recommended that they consult law enforcement or the school district. If the applicant has done a background check in another state, it will not be accepted as the fingerprint collection, and a scan must be done in Utah. </p> <h3 id="section---ApplicationProcessAndPriorityOfApplications">Application Process and Priority of Applications</h3> <p>Interested candidates should approach the LEA of interest so they can submit an application to the Utah State Board of Education and guide the candidate through the criteria for initiating the background clearance process. Candidates will need to submit transcripts and other proof of their educational achievements or valid licenses. Proof of mental and physical fitness to carry out the required work will also be requested. </p> <p>An LEA that is interested in a substitute teacher must give first priority to someone with a valid license in the subject they wish to teach. The second priority should be given to someone who has a license in a field commonly taught in a public school and third priority should be given to someone with a college degree and no teaching license. </p> <h3 id="section---Restrictions">Restrictions</h3> <p>The LEA is not allowed to hire any candidates who have had their licenses revoked or suspended. In order to accomplish this, the LEA is required to have documented procedures that ensure they check with the Comprehensive Administration of Credentials for Teachers in Utah Schools (CACTUS) for any information regarding the interested applicant. CACTUS is a database that is monitored by the Utah State Board of Education and contains all assigned Utah Educator Licenses. The LEA is also not allowed to consider anyone who is not willing to be subjected to a background check.</p>