Substitute teachers, those who fill in for regular teachers when they are ill or otherwise unable to work, are a crucial part of the educational landscape, managing classrooms and overseeing lessons. While regular teachers must specialize in teaching a particular span of grades, usually either elementary or high school, substitute teachers typically work with K-12 students of all ages.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Texas currently employs around 54,240 substitute teachers, and by contrast, the total number of elementary and secondary school teachers is 244,260. The process of becoming a substitute teacher in Texas is significantly more straightforward than the process of becoming a regular teacher, which can make substitute teaching an attractive option for some individuals. Like all jobs, substitute teaching can be rewarding but also comes with its challenges.
Requirements to Be a Substitute Teacher
Substitute teaching requirements vary from one state to another. In Texas, as in many states, each school district gets to establish regulations for substitutes. There are no universally applicable state guidelines as there are for regular K-12 teachers. This is because substitute teaching is not typically as closely regulated as regular teaching contracts are.
Each district will establish educational requirements and potentially other requirements like a minimum age or a background check for aspiring substitutes. In Texas, substitutes do not need to be licensed in the same way regular teachers do, which means that this profession can be more accessible, particularly for younger or less experienced applicants.
Education Requirements
The first step in becoming a substitute teacher is to fulfill all education requirements. In most Texas school districts, substitute teachers must hold at least a bachelor's degree or have spent some time in college. That degree does not typically need to be in the field of education. The state has no official substitute teacher certificate or certification that needs to be renewed; accepted applicants can continue working indefinitely.
Major cities in Texas are often made up of several school districts, and each has separate and individual educational requirements for substitutes:
City
District
Educational Requirements
Houston
Houston Independent School District
48 college hours or bachelor's degree
Dallas
Dallas Independent School District
High school diploma; 60 college hours preferred
Austin
Austin Independent School District
Some college experience; 60 college hours preferred
San Antonio
Northside Independent School District
90 college hours with at least a 2.5 GPA
In most cases, substitute teachers with a bachelor's degree, more educational experience, or even a teaching license will be eligible for higher rates of pay. While completing basic education requirements, aspiring substitute teachers can also take steps to acquire specialized skills. Having these skills, like speaking another language, having a degree in a particular subject like math or English literature, or having experience working with students with disabilities can potentially improve a substitute teacher's career prospects.
Other Requirements
Education is often the most important requirement for becoming a substitute teacher in Texas, but it is not the only one. Once aspiring substitute teachers have met all the necessary education requirements, the next step they should take is to check their district's specific requirements. This will help them ensure they have the right qualifications before applying for a position.
It is common for school districts to require substitute teachers to submit to a background check, and substitutes might also be required to complete a training course to ensure that they are ready for the challenges of the job. The same major school districts mentioned above have the following non-educational requirements:
City
District
Other Requirements
Houston
Houston Independent School District
Fingerprinting required
Dallas
Dallas Independent School District
Background check and fingerprinting
Austin
Austin Independent School District
Fingerprinting required
San Antonio
Northside Independent School District
Background check and fingerprinting; English proficiency
In San Antonio, substitute teachers receive higher pay if they complete additional training programs organized by the district. Certain districts only share the full extent of their requirements with aspiring substitutes who have already started the application process. Further, many school districts look favorably to applicants with some prior teaching experience or experience working with children in any capacity.
How Much Does a Substitute Teacher Make in Texas?
There are no two ways about it: substitute teaching is not an especially lucrative career. According to the BLS, substitute teachers in Texas earn an annual mean wage of $32,460. This is quite less than the nationwide mean wage for substitutes, which is $43,570. Currently, Wisconsin has the highest mean wage for substitutes at $69,730.
In most Texas school districts, substitute teacher salary calculations are based on a day rate. This day rate will vary based on teachers' experience levels, qualifications, any relevant subject matter expertise, and their location within a state. Substitutes can earn significantly more than average by working to build their credentials or by looking at jobs in different districts.
For example, Texas districts may offer beginner substitutes or substitutes without degrees around $80 per day. For those with more experience and qualifications, districts might offer approximately $130 per day or more. Half-day substitution assignments pay less, often between $40 and $60, though some districts only offer full-day pay rates.
Substitute Teacher Job Description
For those interested in potentially becoming a substitute teacher, it is important to understand what substitute teacher duties entails as the duties can be highly variable because of the ever-changing nature of the job.
Assignments and Travel
Usually, substitute teachers will receive a work assignment (either a few days or weeks in advance or on the same day) and cannot choose the type or length of their assignments. Substitutes may spend only a few hours or a day with a given class, or they may take over for the same teacher for days or weeks.
On shorter assignments, substitutes typically do not have to take over teaching duties like lesson planning or grading. On more long-term assignments, they may need to spend time outside school hours preparing for upcoming lessons, designing and grading assignments, monitoring student progress, and more. Some substitutes prefer shorter work assignments where they do not have to take on these responsibilities. Others appreciate the opportunity to get to know students better instead of continually adjusting to new environments.
They will travel to the school in question (or they may work exclusively at one school). Over time, substitutes will familiarize themselves with the schedules and conventions of each of their schools. Substitutes will only ever work in one school district, which limits the geographical area they need to travel around to start work each day.
Teaching and Lessons
Ideally, the regular teacher will have been able to provide the substitute with a detailed lesson plan and information about the class dynamics. The substitute can follow that lesson plan, ensuring that students' education remains as uninterrupted as possible in their teacher's absence.
Under some circumstances, the regular teacher may have been unable to provide a lesson plan. In that case, substitutes may be required to improvise or take on a more supervisory role in the classroom. If a regular teacher's notes are incomplete, substitutes may be able to work with students on some kind of review of their recent learning materials. If that is not possible, it may be necessary to show students some subject-appropriate educational videos, encourage them to study for an upcoming test, or have them use the class to complete homework for other classes. Particularly with younger students, substitutes should aim to have some games on hand to fill class time if needed.
Pay Structure and Minimum/Maximum Work Days
Work schedules for substitute teachers are often highly variable, and not all substitutes work every day. For this reason, it is common for states and districts to choose to pay substitutes on a day rate system instead of providing them with a regular salary.
Most school districts have a minimum number of days that substitutes must work if they want to remain active in the system. Some districts have a maximum number of days that substitutes can work consecutively in a given classroom or in total in a particular academic year. In some cases, individuals choose to become substitutes as a way to decide if they want to become full-time teachers but many elect to become career substitutes.
Traits of a Great Substitute Teacher
Working as a substitute is not always easy, but for the right candidate, it can be a great opportunity to build teaching skills, connect with students, and fulfill an essential role in the education system. Substitutes need to be prepared for all kinds of classroom environments, ready to change plans at a moment's notice, and able to provide students with the support they need to succeed. Being a good substitute teacher is partly about natural aptitude and partly about cultivating valuable traits. Nobody is likely to be good at all these things right away, but those who want to improve as teachers can keep these traits in mind as their careers develop.
Trait
Importance
Adaptability
Substitutes work with new groups of students on a regular or even daily basis. Those students might be about to graduate from high school or might be elementary-school-aged. Substitutes might be asked to take over for a math teacher, or they might teach a full day of different subjects with younger students. Classes will vary in size, student ability levels, and behavioral conventions. A good substitute is prepared to adapt to grade level, subject matter, and length of the assignment.
Organization
Like all teachers, substitutes need to be good at organizing their time. That means showing up for class on time with whatever relevant materials are available. It also means managing class time by following the regular teacher's lesson plan or notes. Substitutes who work at different schools or classrooms must make sure they bring graded assignments back to the correct group of students.
Compassion
Teachers of all stripes must practice extending compassion to their students. Forming positive student-teacher relationships can help establish a better classroom environment, especially for substitutes who need to gain students' respect quickly to deliver the relevant materials. This trait is particularly important for substitutes working with very young students or students who are struggling with class materials for any reason.
Good Attitude and Sense of Humor
Sometimes, despite everyone's best efforts, a day of teaching will not go according to plan. The available lesson plan might be woefully incomplete, for instance. It is always helpful for substitute teachers to keep a sense of humor and a good attitude. This can help keep students from acting out, reduce class tensions, and ensure that everyone has a good time, even under less-than-ideal circumstances.
High Energy
Substitute teachers have demanding jobs. Constantly transitioning to new environments and working with so many different students will require a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Substitutes should aim to maintain their energy by eating well and staying hydrated throughout the day, as well as getting enough sleep and taking breaks when needed.
People Skills
Like all teachers, substitutes benefit from a certain degree of charisma and gravitas, so they can more easily command a room. They also benefit from communicating efficiently and effectively with people of all ages and backgrounds. People skills are particularly crucial for substitutes who need to regularly be prepared to form new connections with students and colleagues.
Passion
At the end of the day, being a substitute teacher is a career that must be driven by passion and genuine interest. Those who thrive in this kind of work environment, who genuinely enjoy the challenges and rewards of teaching, and who have the stamina to keep up with constantly changing classroom assignments are the ones most likely to succeed in the longer term.
Substitute Teaching to Regular Teaching
Some people start as substitute teachers to see if teaching is the right career for them. Once they have decided they want to become a teacher in Texas, they will need to pursue additional training to receive certification. There are two major options for someone who wants to become a fully certified teacher in the state of Texas: standard certification and alternative certification.
The first way to become a teacher is through standard certification. Aspiring teachers must obtain a bachelor's from an accredited college or university. Next, they must complete an Educator Preparation Program (EPP). Then, they must pass the TExES teacher certification exam and the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA). Finally, aspiring teachers will need to complete student teaching requirements before they can start their careers.
Substitute teachers who do not yet have a bachelor's degree will likely find the standard route to certification the most straightforward way to become a teacher in Texas. Obtaining a bachelor's degree usually takes around four years; student teaching requirements vary by district but usually take several months or up to a full academic year. In some cases, a district may agree to waive or reduce student teaching requirements, given a former substitute's past experience.
Substitutes who already have a bachelor's degree may elect to pursue alternative certification. Alternative Certification Programs (ACPs) may take as little as one year to complete and may allow applicants to teach while they are still in the program. ACPs are a subset of EPPs and must be approved by the state.
Substitute Teacher Qualifications: Texas vs. Other States
States and their school districts vary significantly when it comes to their substitute teaching requirements. Most Texas school districts are relatively middle-of-the-road: some states are much more stringent, while others have very few requirements. For instance, in Washington, substitutes must be fully licensed teachers who obtain a five-year license. In Kentucky, most substitutes must either have or have previously had a teaching license, except those who obtain one-year emergency substitute certification.
On the other hand, many states only require substitutes to have a high school diploma or GED. In some North Carolina school districts, there is no substitute teacher license and no minimum requirements whatsoever – not even a high school diploma. Because there are no universal standards for substitute teacher qualifications, the job can differ drastically from one part of the country to another. All things considered, working as a substitute teacher in Texas is a reasonably predictable and well-regulated experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do substitute teachers get paid in Texas?
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for substitute teachers in Texas is $32,460. Substitutes are usually paid on a day rate that can vary based on their experience and qualifications.
Do you have to have a teaching degree to be a substitute teacher in Texas?
No, a teaching degree is not required to be a substitute teacher in Texas. Each school district sets its own requirements, but most look for a bachelor's degree or some college experience.
What do I need to be a substitute teacher in Texas?
Substitute teaching requirements are set at the school district level, so they can vary. Generally speaking, substitutes need at least a high school diploma and often some college experience. They must also pass a background check.