Becoming a Substitute Teacher in Alabama
Alabama ranks about average in state and student population. The state also remains fairly average in its graduation and standardized testing scores, 69% and 25th respectively. In becoming a substitute teacher in Alabama, you must remain flexible in your availability, as substitute teachers are required not only for teachers taking sick/personal days, but also on days where districts have mandatory teacher training and workshop days. There are many benefits of substitute teaching, including it being one of the few ways to try out a position in the educational system without committing completely. Another advantage is that most states do not require a Bachelors Degree in order to become a substitute, so it is possible to sub while continuing education towards a 4-year degree.
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Required Training, Qualifications, and Education
Alabama is one of the states that does not require college education to become a substitute teacher, but does require a high-school diploma or GED equivalent. Prospective substitute teachers must also pass criminal background checks with both state and federal agencies, as well as going in for fingerprinting. Alabama also requires its substitute teachers to pass Tuberculosis (TB) testing to insure student health safety.
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 SUB (Alabama Substitute Teacher License) form
- Take and complete substitute teaching seminar
- Include $30 mandatory fee with application
Career Expectations For Substitutes in Alabama
Alabama as a state is currently hiring teachers to meet a growing population demand, as well as receiving more funding coming out of the recession. More teachers inherently means that there will also be an increased demand for substitute teachers, meaning positions are available. Becoming a substitute teacher in Alabama 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 Alabama is approximately $32,000 a year (according to bls.gov), which is about 7% higher then the national average. As far as careers go without requiring a minimum of a Bachelor’s, substitute teachers in Alabama are fairly well off. The cost of living in Alabama is also relatively lower then the national average, which allows for your salary to be stretched even further. 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.