Substitute Teaching

Substitute Teaching While Student Teaching

With permission from your faculty program director and/or department chair, you can substitute teach during your student teaching experience. (See your program handbook and talk with your faculty program director for details.)

In order to substitute teach while you are still student teaching, you will need to apply to the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) for a Restricted Teaching License. Application instructions are available on TSPC’s eLicensing Documents: First License webpage and by scrolling down to “Restricted Teaching License.”

Before completing the license application and submitting payment for the license, TSPC recommends that you first confirm with your employing school district’s HR office that they are willing to sponsor your application for the Restricted Teaching License. (After you complete your eLicensing application for the Restricted Teaching License with TSPC, your employing school district will be required to submit to TSPC documentation of their sponsorship of your application.)

In addition to obtaining the Restricted Teaching License, the school district in which you will be substitute teaching may also require you to register with the ESD that serves their region and/or a substitute teaching agency or company with which they have contracted.

Substitute Teaching 

Holders of regular Oregon teaching, school counseling, school psychology, and administrative licenses can substitute teach with no restrictions.

Positions can be found on school district HR websites and through ESDs and companies with which school districts have contracted. Information is also available on these sites about the process and timelines for hiring teachers into district substitute pools. 

In addition to applying for positions, the school districts in which you are interested in substitute teaching may also require you to register with the ESD that serves their region and/or a substitute teaching agency or company with which they have contracted.

ESD Substitute Teaching Resources

• Clackamas ESD 
• Multnomah ESD 
• NW Regional ESD, including Washington County

Companies that contract with Oregon school districts to hire substitute teachers:

• Edustaff 
• ESS 

Additional Resources for Substitute Teachers

AAEE’s Job Search Handbook for Educators provides information on substitute teaching.

Toolkit for Substitute Teachers (NEA)

Oregon Substitute Teachers Association