How to Become a Substitute Teacher in Pinellas County, Florida

<table border="1"><tr><td>Education/Experience Required </td><td> Associate degree or bachelor's degree</td></tr> <tr><td>Exam Requirements </td><td> Levels 1 &amp; 2: None<br/>Level 3: as required for teacher certification in Florida</td></tr> <tr><td>Certification Renewal Period </td><td> Levels 1 &amp; 2: NA<br/> Level 3: 3 years (Temporary Certificate), 5 years (Professional Certificate)</td></tr> <tr><td>College Credit Hours Required for Renewal </td><td> Level 3: 6 credit hours, including 1 credit hour of teaching students with disabilities and 3 credit hours per teaching subject area</td></tr> <tr><td>Average Salary (May 2018)* </td><td> $26,070 (<i>substitute teachers, Florida</i>)</td></tr> <tr><td>Estimated Job Growth (2018-2028)* </td><td> 3% (<i>substitute teachers, nationwide</i>)</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p><h3 id="section---EducationRequirementsForSubstituteTeachersInPinellasCounty">Education Requirements for Substitute Teachers in Pinellas County</h3><p>There are 3 levels of substitute teachers in Pinellas County, and their education requirements are broken down as follows: </p><ul><li>Level 1 Substitute (Associate's Substitute): either hold an associate degree or have earned 60 college credits </li><li>Level 2 Substitute (Bachelor's Substitute): must hold a bachelor's degree </li><li>Level 3 Substitute (Certified Substitute): must hold a valid Florida teaching certificate in addition to a bachelor's or higher degree </li></ul><h3 id="section---GeneralSubstituteRequirements">General Substitute Requirements</h3><p>Pinellas County Schools do not have any exam requirements for substitute teachers. In case you wish to work as a certified substitute, you need to meet the exam requirements to obtain a temporary or professional teaching certificate. Other general requirements in Pinellas County include: </p><ul><li>Ability to work 4 jobs each month and 2 Mondays or Fridays each month </li><li>Physical and emotional stamina </li><li>Reliable transportation </li><li>Ability to accept placements immediately </li></ul><h3 id="section---GettingEmployedAsASubstituteTeacherInPinellasCounty">Getting Employed as a Substitute Teacher in Pinellas County</h3><p>The application process takes place online through the website of Pinellas County Schools. Transcripts, work history, and two professional references are required. Before you can begin teaching, you have to attend a substitute teacher workshop, which usually lasts for 3 days and is provided free of cost. You will be contacted once your application is accepted in order to let you know the details of the workshop you will be attending. </p><p>Substitute teachers of all 3 levels are eligible to take on-site substitute teaching assignments; however, only Level 3 Substitutes may work as long-term substitutes or co-teachers. </p><h3 id="section---RenewalRequirementsForSubstituteTeachersInPinellasCounty">Renewal Requirements for Substitute Teachers in Pinellas County</h3><p>If you are working as a Level 1 or Level 2 Substitute, there are no renewal requirements. However, if you are a Level 3 Substitute, you will need to meet the requirements for the renewal of a Florida teaching certificate. The basic requirement is to obtain 6 semester hours of college credit every 5 years, including 1 semester hour of teaching students with disabilities. Three of these semester hours must be earned in each subject you wish to retain on your certificate. </p><h3 id="section---PaymentOfSubstituteTeachersInPinellasCounty">Payment of Substitute Teachers in Pinellas County</h3><p>In Pinellas County, substitutes are paid per day of work. Schools, exceptional student education (ESE) centers, and other places where substitute teachers may be required are classified into Premier Substitute Sites and On-Site Substitute Sites. Premier Sites usually pay $95 a day except for a few, which pay $110 for an extended 9-hour workday. Substitutes working at On-Site Substitute Sites are typically paid $110 per day; some sites with an extended student-contact day pay $130 a day. </p><p>According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), substitute teachers in Florida earned an annual mean wage of $26,070 as of May 2018. The job outlook for the period 2018-2028 for all substitute teachers across the nation is 3%, which is slower than the national average. The BLS projects 20,400 new positions for substitutes during this period. </p><h3 id="section---ObtainingAFloridaTeachingCertificate">Obtaining a Florida Teaching Certificate</h3><p>This is an optional step, as only Level 3 Substitutes are required to hold teaching certificates. The minimum educational requirement for a certificate is a bachelor's degree. Bachelor's degree holders who have not completed a teacher preparation program can earn a Temporary Certificate that is valid for 3 school years and is non-renewable. This certificate requires you to either pass the appropriate subject area knowledge exams or have at least a 2.5 GPA in the requested subject. </p><p>Three years after the date of issue of the Temporary Certificate, you must upgrade to a renewable Professional Certificate, which is valid for 5 years. The additional requirements for this credential are completing an educator preparation program, passing subject area exams, and passing an educator certification exam.</p>