Becoming a Substitute Teacher in Oregon, OR
Oregon has recently been expanding its educational system to meet growing state population needs. With 543,000 public students and 1,304 public schools, Oregon ranks 27th in the nation in state population. With new teachers being hired, there is an inherent need for more substitute teachers, which makes now a great time to look into the educational field. Keeping a flexible schedule is important when becoming a substitute teacher as you may be needed on short notice. Substituting is a great experience for any potential full-time teacher as it allows the opportunity to test out the educational field before committing completely. Most states do not require a Bachelors Degree to become a substitute, however Oregon is one of the few that does. Many subs also enjoy the flexible work schedule as it allows them to pursue other ventures on the side, often times finishing up their Bachelors Degree or working part-time on the side.
Required Training, Qualifications, and Education
It important to keep in mind that a Bachelors Degree is required to be a substitute teacher in Oregon, as most states do not have this requirement. It is also required to submit to state and federal fingerprinting and 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 substitute teacher license (valid for 3 years)–
- Submit the Substitute Application through a local school system
- Include any official transcripts, references, or other relevant material
- Include required Application fee/s
- Meet any additional state requirements
Career Expectations For Substitutes in Oregon
Even though Oregon is one of the states that does require a Bachelors Degree to substitute teach, there are still many benefits of being a sub. The educational system as a whole has been fairly resilient through the recession and is continuing to grow. Economic upturn has allowed for more teachers to be hired, along with the fact that there is growing state and national populations means teachers are not only in demand presently, but will continue to be for quite some time. The educational system has proven to be a relatively stable market, and should continue to be so in the future. Because of the flexible schedule, subs find themselves with extra time on their hands to do as they please, which is a nice bonus to the job. Whether you want to ultimately be a full time salaried teacher or not, subbing looks great on any resume as it shows you not only have the capability to teach others, but the patience to deal with people who may not understand concepts right away.
Salary Expectation
Currently, the average salary for a Substitute Teacher in Oregon is approximately $28,000 a year (according to bls.gov) which is about 4% lower then the national average. Actual salary can vary greatly as it is dependent upon district, experience, and education. Additional income can be gained through other part time work when you are not substitute teaching.