Interested in Becoming a Substitute Teacher?

Thank you for your interest in substitute teaching with the Beaver Area School District.

Pennsylvania provides several pathways for individuals interested in serving as substitute teachers.

The requirements that apply to you will depend upon your current certification, education and educator preparation status.

Which Substitute Teaching Pathway Applies to Me?

I Hold a Valid and Active Pennsylvania Teaching Certificate

Individuals holding a valid and active Pennsylvania educator certificate may serve as day-to-day substitutes within their certification area.

A certified educator may also serve outside of their certification area under a locally issued day-to-day substitute permit. Service outside of the educator's certification area is limited to 20 school days for an individual professional or temporary professional employee. If service for an individual employee will exceed 20 days, the District must request the appropriate long-term substitute permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).

I Have a Bachelor's Degree but Do Not Hold a Teaching Certificate

Individuals who have earned a bachelor's degree but do not hold the appropriate Pennsylvania teaching certificate may be eligible to serve as a substitute teacher through a PDE-issued Emergency Permit.

A Day-to-Day Substitute Emergency Permit (Type 06):

• Requires a bachelor's degree or higher;
• Requires all applicable employment clearances and pre-employment documentation;
• Allows the individual to provide day-to-day substitute services; and
• Is valid for the applicable school year and may be reissued in subsequent school years.

The Beaver Area School District may request the Emergency Permit through the Pennsylvania Department of Education after all District and PDE requirements have been satisfied.

Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit #27 also offers Emergency Substitute Teacher Training for individuals interested in substitute teaching.

BVIU Emergency Substitute Training

I Am Currently Enrolled in a Pennsylvania-Approved Teacher Preparation Program

Prospective Teacher Substitutes – Act 86 of 2016

A prospective teacher may be eligible to serve as a substitute teacher if the individual:

• Is currently enrolled in a Pennsylvania-approved college or university educator preparation program;
• Has completed at least 60 semester hours or the equivalent; and
• Meets all statutory requirements related to clearances, citizenship/legal authorization to work and good moral character.

A Prospective Teacher Substitute may teach:

• A maximum of 10 days for a single professional employee; and
• A maximum of 20 days total during the school year.

Student Teachers

Individuals who are actively completing their student-teaching experience under 22 Pa. Code § 354.25(f) may also serve as Prospective Teacher Substitutes, subject to additional requirements.

A student teacher:

• Must have received at least one satisfactory observation related to the student-teaching program;
• May substitute within the assigned classroom or classrooms or for other teachers within the building or buildings where the individual has been placed as a student teacher;
• May substitute for no more than 10 days for a single professional employee; and
• May substitute for no more than 20 days total during the school year.

Reissuance

A Prospective Teacher Substitute permit may be reissued for one additional year if the educator:

• Provides proof of completion of an additional 15 credit hours or equivalent from a PDE-approved educator preparation program provider; and
• Remains enrolled in a PDE-approved educator preparation program.

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I Completed a Teacher Preparation Program but Have Not Yet Received My Pennsylvania Certificate

Teacher Preparation Program Completers – Section 1215

The District may issue a day-to-day substitute permit to an individual who has completed an approved educator preparation program when the following requirements are met:

• The individual provides verification from the college or university confirming successful completion of an approved teacher preparation program and completion of all requirements for the awarding of a bachelor's degree on a date certain;
• The individual provides evidence that all required certification testing has been completed or is in the process of being scheduled; and
• The individual satisfies all applicable statutory clearance, background and good-moral-character requirements.

This permit expires upon issuance of an Instructional I certificate or as otherwise provided by PDE.

I Hold an Inactive or Voluntary Inactive Pennsylvania Certificate

Individuals holding an inactive or voluntary inactive Pennsylvania educator certificate may substitute for a total of up to 180 days per school year within their certification area(s).

• No permit is required to substitute within the individual's certification area.

• A Type 06 Emergency Permit is required when an individual works outside of the certification area. Service outside the certification area for an individual professional or temporary professional employee beyond 20 days requires the appropriate long-term substitute permit.

• All substitute service under these options combined may not exceed 180 days per school year.

I Am a Retired Pennsylvania Educator

Retired educators with a lapsed certificate may be eligible to serve as day-to-day or temporary long-term substitutes under the appropriate emergency permit.

Retired educators should contact the Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) or their applicable retirement system before returning to Pennsylvania public school employment to determine how returning to service may affect their retirement benefit.

Return to School Service During an Emergency or Personnel Shortage

24 Pa.C.S. § 8346(b)

Under certain circumstances, a PSERS annuitant may return to school service without suspension of the annuity when, in the judgment of the employer:

• An emergency creates an increased workload that seriously impairs service to the public; or
• A shortage of appropriately certified teachers or other personnel exists.

Employment under this exception may not extend beyond the school year in which the emergency or shortage exists and is subject to the requirements of the Pennsylvania Retirement Code, including § 8346(b.2).

Retired employees should confirm their individual eligibility directly with PSERS before beginning service.

Ready to get started?

• ACT 168 Form(s) - We’ll send these on your behalf, so please make sure to provide accurate email addresses. If we do not have the appropriate emails, the requests will be returned for completion.

• The applicant’s current employer (regardless of whether the employer was a school entity and/or where the applicant had direct contact with children); 

• All former employers of the applicant that were school entities; and 

• All former employers where the applicant was employed in a position where he or she had direct contact with children.