How to become a substitute teacher in Arizona.

If you want a flexible and rewarding job, consider becoming a substitute teacher in Arizona. You can choose your own schedule and inspire students in varying subjects and grade levels.

Kelly Education hires substitute teachers for hundreds of school districts across the country—including Arizona. We’re experts in helping candidates understand the requirements and qualifications for substitute teacher certification.

Let’s take a look at the minimum substitute teacher requirements in Arizona. Remember that some school districts may have more requirements, and those should be listed in their substitute teacher job description. 

Minimum Arizona state requirements, at a glance*: 

• Certification: Arizona Substitute, PreK-12 Certification 
• Education: Bachelor’s degree 
• Age: 18 years old 
• Employment verification to work in the U.S. 
• Fingerprint-based criminal background check 

In addition to Arizona state requirements, Kelly Education requires: 

• Pre-hire training 
• New hire orientation 

A deeper dive into substitute teacher requirements.

Though becoming a substitute teacher in Arizona is relatively straightforward, you should allow up to three weeks to complete the process. Much depends on how quickly you provide the required information and how fast third parties respond to necessary requests. 

Certification.

The state requires all substitute teachers to be certified through the Arizona Department of Education. Those with a regular or full-time teaching title or a Substitute Certificate can work in any classroom for up to 90 consecutive days. The substitute teacher certification is valid for six years, at which point, you can renew it. The certification fee is $60. 

Education verification.

To become a licensed daily substitute teacher in Arizona, you must have a bachelor’s degree. As part of the pre-employment process, you’ll need to provide your official college transcripts. 

Colleges and universities often charge a fee for transcript requests, ranging from $10 to $15. To plan appropriately, allow three to five working days to receive your transcripts. 

Employment verification.

Like most jobs, substitute teachers must provide proof that they can legally work in the U.S. To complete this step, you’ll submit an I-9 form with valid identification credentials. This form can be completed in just a few minutes. If working with Kelly Education, we’ll guide you through this process.

Background check and fingerprinting.

To substitute teach in Arizona, candidates must undergo a fingerprint-based criminal background check and obtain an IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.  

The fee for fingerprinting is $67. For those without a criminal history, the processing time for fingerprinting applications is typically less than 10 days. 

In addition to the state requirements, Kelly Education also runs a National Sex Offender Registry check and county criminal check on all our candidates. 

Training.

Arizona does not require statewide training. However, Kelly Education believes in the power of training to set up substitute teachers for success. Kelly Education requires substitute teachers to complete a free pre-hire ClassSmarts online training. The training takes about 1.5 hours to complete and covers topics like educators’ legal obligations, teaching ethics, and classroom management techniques. 

Additionally, before substitute teachers enter the classroom for the first time with Kelly Education, they’re required to complete a New Hire Orientation module. This paid, online orientation highlights Kelly Education and district-specific procedures and policies. 

Getting started with Kelly Education and our school district partners.

If you’re interested in working for one of our partner school districts, a recruiter will walk you through the process to make it as easy as possible for you. 

Fill out our brief interest form and one of our recruiters will contact you to answer your questions about our substitute teacher jobs near you!

* Information subject to change. This is a general guideline. School districts may have more requirements, in addition to state requirements. 

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