Can a short term or long term substitute teacher be full-time?

While substitute teaching is a flexible job where you can set your own schedule, some really want a long term substitute teacher job that resembles full-time employment.

At most school districts across the country, substitute teaching hours are scheduled to be 6-7 hours a day-up to five days a week. It’s typically a part-time, hourly, or per diem role. So even long term substitute teachers don’t qualify as full-time status. 

At Kelly Education, we place tens of thousands of substitute teachers in millions of of short and long term classroom assignments each year. Many of our substitute teachers enjoy picking up work almost daily. Some take long term substitute teacher assignments. Let’s look at the differences.

Short-term vs. long term substitute teacher jobs.

Once you’re approved to substitute teach for a school district, in most instances, you’ll be able to work in any of that district’s schools—from elementary school through high school. You can pick short-term assignments at various schools.  

Short-term substitutes can work five days a week. They appreciate the flexibility of owning their schedule. They can accept or decline jobs on any given day and easily mark certain days as unavailable. 

You may need additional credentials to secure a long term substitute teacher assignment in a single classroom. A long term substitute teaching job is often a temporary, consistent position. Each state or school district sets the length of time that’s considered a short term vs. long term assignment.  

Some school districts also require long term substitute teachers to have a higher level of education-where a short-term substitute might only need a high school diploma, a long-term substitute might require some college coursework or even a bachelor’s degree. Here are a few examples: 

• In Minnesota, assignments that last 20 consecutive days or longer are considered long-term assignments. 

• In Georgia, short term substitutes can work in one classroom no more than 10 consecutive days. 

• In Connecticut, long term substitute teachers need state authorization, a bachelor’s degree, and 12 credits in a content/subject area. 

Some schools also hire substitute teachers. These substitutes are familiar faces who consistently float from classroom to classroom depending on the greatest need. These typically do not meet a full-time threshold. 

As for substitute teacher duties and responsibilities, long term substitute teachers tend to be more involved than those short-term substitutes. Short-term substitute teachers aren’t generally responsible for developing lesson plans, designing curricula, communicating with parents, or grading papers. However, a long-term substitute teacher is often assigned these duties and responsibilities, which allows for better educational continuity for the students, parents, and teachers. 

Increase your chances of landing more work.

Since there is a high demand for quality substitute teachers, your chances of getting many assignments is already high. That said, you can also take some steps to ensure you’re maximizing your potential to secure jobs in your favorite schools. 

Use the absence management technology provided. 

Once you’re approved to substitute teach, you can easily receive notifications about and accept substitute teacher jobs using the technology-like Frontline, RedRover, or Smartfind.  You can also update your availability to work as many or as few days as you’d like. You’ll want to maximize your use of this technology to make sure you don’t miss out on substitute teaching jobs. 

Become a school’s favorite substitute teacher. 

People like to work with people they enjoy being around. Therefore, you can increase your chances of securing more long term substitute teacher jobs through how you show up. Take steps to become a long term substitute teacher favorite, so you come to mind when a teacher, school, or district needs a substitute.  

• Always be professional, from being on time to how you act and what you wear. 

• Build relationships with the other teachers and staff you interact with. 

• Adhere to the lesson plans the teacher leaves for you as much as possible. 

• Provide the teacher with a brief report of what you did while substituting for their class to keep them informed. 

• Show your appreciation to those who help you along the way. 

• Adhere to district and school policies and procedures. 

Consider other education roles.

To boost your work opportunities, consider applying for other roles as well. Districts need absence coverage for their teacher’s aides, paraeducators (also known as school paraprofessionals or parapros), and support staff roles. The hours are often the same. 

These roles may pay a bit less than substitute teaching jobs, though they still offer flexibility and can fill in any gaps you might have in your substitute teaching schedule. As to be expected, you may need additional training for these roles. 

Work with Kelly Education.

To start the application process, go to school district websites, substitute teacher and educator job boards, or seek out a staffing agency specializing in education placement. You can also attend community hiring events or read our Guide to Becoming a Substitute Teacher.

At Kelly Education, we have many paraeducator jobs and substitute teacher jobs available in schools across the country. Fill out our brief interest form and one of our recruiters will contact you to answer your questions and share more about opportunities to become a substitute teacher with one of our school district partners. Additionally, when you work with us, we offer many perks and benefits in addition to your paycheck.

I’m interested