Becoming a Substitute Teacher in Alaska
Alaska, by far the largest state in the Union, has one of the lowest state populations. Inherently this also means that the student population is also relatively low, however there still is substitute teaching opportunities. Becoming a substitute affords many unique opportunities, such as the fact a flexible schedule is required allowing part-time work on the side or continued pursuit of a 4-year degree. Substitute teachers also gain extremely valuable work experience, which is huge especially when looking to become a full-time teacher at some point. Having substitute work on a resume shows you have valuable skills including good information communication, as well as strong organizational and personal relation abilities.
Find Additional Pages on Education-Colleges About:
- Schools for Teaching in Alaska
- Become a Teacher in Alaska
- Alaska Teacher Certification Guide
- Simple Teacher Requirements Page
Required Training, Qualifications, and Education
Depending on the school district, a Bachelors Degree may or may not be required when substitute teaching in Alaska, so be sure to check with local schools and districts to make sure. Prospective substitute teachers must also pass criminal background checks with both state and federal agencies, as well as going in for fingerprinting.
Licensure and Certification
The following stipulations are required for submitting a substitute teacher application-
- Submit the initial Substitute Application through a local school system
- Fill out and submit the substitute teacher application form
- Include all necessary documents including transcripts and references
- Include any required fees
Career Expectations For Substitutes in Alaska
Recent economic upturn has allowed Alaska as well as the rest of the nation to continue expanding its educational system, driving up demand for new teachers and substitutes. Alaska as a state is currently hiring teachers to meet a growing population demand, as well as receiving more funding coming out of the recession. Consistently growing state populations also forecast the continued need for educators in the future as more teachers are required to deal with larger student populations. Becoming a substitute teacher in Alaska is also a great way to get a feel for the job and gauge whether or not it is something you would be interested in, as no college degree is needed to apply. If you do make the decision to become a full time teacher, having the training and experience of being a substitute teacher is a huge plus to any resume, as you have already proven you are up to the task.
Salary Expectation
The average salary of substitute teachers in Alaska is approximately $31,000 a year (according to bls.gov), which is about 6% higher then the national average. As far as careers go without requiring a minimum of a Bachelor’s, substitute teachers in Alaska are fairly well off. Added to the fact Alaskan residents receive dividend checks from the state each year, substitute teaching can be fairly lucrative. In addition to substitute teaching, many subs have other jobs such as tutoring or test proctoring, since being a substitute does not require you to be teaching a class every day of the week.