Becoming a Substitute Teacher in Kansas, KS
Kansas has 1,445 public schools, 468,000 public students, and ranks 15th in state population. Following the national trend, Kansas has been expanding its educational system which makes now a great time to look into substitute teaching. Because many states do not require a Bachelors Degree to become a sub, you are afforded the rare opportunity to try out the educational field without completely committing to a 4 year degree in education. Being able to have a flexible schedule is important in becoming a Substitute Teacher, which many people enjoy as it allows them to accomplish other things with their time such as furthering education or working another job. Now is the perfect time to look into a position as a substitute teacher as recent economic and growth factors have driven expansion across the nation.
Required Training, Qualifications, and Education
Kansas is one of the few states that does require a Bachelor’s Degree in order to become a substitute teacher, so this is important to keep in mind when thinking about applying. In addition to this you must complete a 60 hour teacher preparation program as well as go in for state fingerprinting and state and federal background checks. Some districts may have other requirements so make sure to check before applying.
Licensure and Certification
The following situations are required for a 5-year substitute teacher license–
- Submit the Substitute Application through a local school system
- Include any official transcripts, references, or other relevant material
- Include required Application fee/s
- Must reapply for certificate every four years
Career Expectation For Substitutes in Kansas
Economic upturn has allowed Kansas to continue expanding its educational system to meet its growing state population. Becoming a substitute carries many unique advantages, many enjoy the open work schedule and use it to take advantage of other work opportunities as well as continuing education. The recession proved the educational system to be relatively stable as teachers faired better then most throughout the downturn. Consistent population growth ensures the necessity for more teachers for quite some time, making the educational field a fairly safe job market. Although a Bachelor’s Degree is still required to become a Substitute Teacher, this position gives you a lot more flexibility then becoming a Full Time teacher, allowing you to test the waters before you make your final decision. Either way, Substitute Teaching looks great on any resume whether applying for Full Time status or not as it shows you possess extremely valuable skill sets that are pertinent in almost any position.
Salary Expectation
Currently, the average salary for a Substitute Teacher in Kansas is approximately $27,000 a year (according to bls.gov) which is about 7% lower than the national average. It is important to understand that this number can vary greatly due to the fact that actual pay is greatly dependent upon variables like district, experience, and qualifications. Additional income can be gained during times when you are not substitute teaching through things like test proctoring as well as tutoring.