How to become a substitute teacher in California

Becoming a substitute teacher in California

Congrats! It’s stellar you’re pursuing substitute teaching. Whether you’re in Los Angeles, San Diego, or the San Francisco Bay Area, the process of becoming a substitute teacher is simple. It requires some paperwork and testing to ensure you’re qualified, healthy, and capable of providing a safe environment for students.

Download our checklist covering all the steps to become a permit-ready substitute teacher in California.

Download the Scoot checklist

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Substitute teacher requirements in California

To work as a substitute teacher in California, you’ll need to:

• Have a bachelor’s degree (any major accepted)
• Pass a background check
• Provide negative tuberculosis test or complete a TB risk assessment
• Obtain a 30-day substitute teaching permit

California substitute teacher permits: Which one do you need?

California offers four types of substitute teaching credentials, but the Emergency 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit is the most popular choice for new substitute teachers.

• Emergency 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit – Perfect for new substitute teachers with no prior experience
• Emergency Substitute Teaching Permit for Prospective Teachers – For current students at 4-year colleges
• Emergency Career Substitute Permit – For substitute teachers with 3+ years of experience
• Emergency Designated Subjects Career Technical Education 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit – For those interested in career technical education (CTE) substitute teaching

For more information on specific permit requirements and the number of teaching days you can complete with each permit, read Substitute Teacher Certifications in California.

Steps to become a permit-ready CA substitute teacher

Step 1: Have a bachelor’s degree

To become a substitute teacher in California, your first step is to obtain a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and provide official transcripts.

Your bachelor’s degree can be in ANY major. It doesn’t need to be education-related. Scoot Education has many exceptional substitute teachers who don’t have an education-related degree.

Step 2: Pass your health and background check

Substitute teachers in California need to provide proof of a negative tuberculosis test (TB test) and complete a Live Scan fingerprinting background check.

Scoot partners with WellnessMart, so if you’re applying to become a sub with us, you don’t need to pay any upfront cost! We fully pay for the TB test and Live Scan fingerprinting background check.

Tuberculosis testing requirements

• Your TB test must be completed within 60 days of your interview.
• The fastest method? Complete a TB risk assessment questionnaire. This allows a physician to screen you without having to use needles. They’ll ask you a series of questions and assess your TB risk level.

How to complete a Live Scan

1. Fill out and print the Request for Live Scan Service Form
2. Take the completed form and a valid photo ID (i.e. Driver’s License, Passport, ID card) to a nearby WellnessMart. Check if your location allows walk-in, same-day appointments or if you have to schedule in advance.
3. Complete the fingerprinting process.
4. Upload the receipt to Scoot!

Now you’ll wait between 3-7 business days while the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) process background checks for all substitute teachers.

Step 3: Complete state training and Scoot onboarding requirements

All substitute teachers are required by state law to complete the following trainings:

• Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training: Learn to identify and report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect
• Sexual Harassment Training

Scoot requires educators to complete these onboarding requirements. You’ll submit:

• Three references–including at least one supervisor and one person who can speak to your experience working with children
• Payroll information
• I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form
• Friendly, professional Scoot profile photo
• Complete three trainings:
  • Health and safety
  • Workplace violence
  • Creating inclusive classrooms

Scoot educators are paid for completing all training! We believe in compensating our educators fairly for the time and effort spent in acquiring new skills and knowledge relevant to their role.

Step 4: Obtain your 30-day substitute teaching permit

If you’re just starting out as a substitute teacher, apply for the Emergency 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit! The permit is valid for one year and renewable. This allows you to:

• Teach as a day-to-day substitute teacher in any classroom
• Substitute for any teacher for up to 30 days (or up to 30 days in special education classrooms) before moving on to another teacher’s classroom

Apply with Scoot and we’ll walk you through the process of applying with the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)! You will submit the following:

1. Bachelor’s degree and official transcripts from a regionally accredited college or university
2. Application through CTC Online (The permit costs $100 with a $2.65 service fee for online applications.)
3. Complete the Live Scan fingerprinting process for the CTC

Perks of submitting your permit application with Scoot

When you apply with Scoot Education, our special credentialing contact can expedite your application to be completed in just ten working days from submission—that’s down from 50+ days when applying directly. This is a huge advantage!

You don’t even have to wait for the permit to start working. Scoot substitute teachers can begin working in roles that don’t require certification or permits right away.

Why sub with Scoot?

In summary, here are the benefits of applying to substitute teach with Scoot in California:

• We cover the cost of your first Live Scan/TB Test
• Get paid for completing state-mandated and Scoot-required training
• Speed up your 30-day permit application processing time by 5 times!

Our educators love us! Hear how Laura and Keyon enjoyed starting out as substitute teachers with us:

Ready to take the leap into substitute teaching?

In summary, becoming a substitute teacher in California involves meeting education requirements, passing health and background check requirements, and obtaining the proper permit.

But once you’re done with the process, you’re ready to help schools, develop your teaching skills, and make a meaningful difference in students’ lives. A rewarding journey awaits you as a substitute teacher!

Apply now