How to become a substitute teacher in Washington state.

To become a substitute teacher in Washington state, you'll need to meet a few minimum requirements to achieve a substitute teacher certification—a high school diploma, background check clearance, and fingerprinting.

Minimum Washington substitute teacher requirements at a glance*:

• Certification: Washington teaching license or emergency substitute certification
• Age: 18 years
• Education: High school diploma for Emergency Substitute Certification
• Employment verification to work in the U.S.
• Background check
• Fingerprinting

In addition, Kelly Education requires:

• Pre-hire training

Each year, we hire hundreds of qualified substitute teachers in Washington and our expert recruiting team is sharing this guidance to help aspiring educators understand the state requirements. If you want to work in one of our partner districts, our team will personally guide you through the steps so that the process runs smoothly.  

A deeper dive into substitute teacher requirements.

Since there are several steps, it can take some time to be cleared to begin work once you apply for a job. You'll need to stay on top of the process and follow up appropriately.

Let’s take a closer look at the basic requirements, including the estimated costs and timeframes to complete each item.  

How do I get a WA substitute teacher certification?

Anyone with a teaching certificate can be a substitute teacher. Don't have a teaching certificate? You can get the Emergency Substitute Certification with just a high school diploma.  

• The emergency certification is valid for two years and only in the district/district co-op that requested it. The application is initiated by the employing school district and completed by the educator.

• The entire application to hiring process can take anywhere from three days to three weeks. Some of this depends on the state and the time it takes to process the paperwork, but you also play a key role. The quicker you submit the required information, the sooner you’ll be approved and qualified to start. 

Remember—if you hold or have held a regular State of Washington Teaching Certificate, you already qualify for the Substitute Certificate as the requirements are the same. 

How do I submit education verification?

For the Emergency Substitute Certificate, all applicants must have a minimum of a high school diploma. Some districts may have additional requirements.

• You'll need to ask your high school for a copy of your transcripts.

• Some institutions charge a small fee for transcript and verification requests.

• If you have college credits, requesting your college transcripts can be beneficial because some school districts offer a higher pay rate to those who’ve completed college credits. Be sure to ask the district or your recruiter.

Background check and fingerprinting.

Washington places a high priority on student safety. That’s why all substitute teacher applicants are subject to a background check, including fingerprinting which takes about two weeks for results. There may be a small fee associated with this.  

Additionally, if you work for Kelly Education, we run a National Sex Offender Registry and county criminal check on all applicants which can take 1-3 days. 

What do I need for employment verification?

Like most jobs, substitute teachers must provide proof that they can legally work in the U.S. To complete this step, you'll submit an I-9 form with valid identification credentials.

This form can be completed in just a few minutes. Our team will help you if you are a candidate in our partner district.

Do I need training to be a substitute teacher in WA?

While the state of Washington doesn’t require any additional training to become a substitute teacher, Kelly Education requires all applicants to complete our pre-hire training. This is true even if they have prior teaching experience. Our free ClassSmarts online training can be completed in about an hour. 

We also offer a non-mandatory online New Hire Orientation to help you better understand policies and procedures. 

Become a substitute teacher with Kelly Education.

When you work with one of our partner districts across Washington, we help you through your hiring journey and set you up for classroom success. If you are interested in working in one of our Washington school districts, complete our interest form and a recruiter will reach out to share more information about becoming a substitute teacher.

* Information subject to change. This is a general guideline. School districts may have more requirements, in addition to state requirements.

About the Author

Kelly Education powers more than 10,000 schools across the country with a workforce that keeps students learning every day. From recruiting and hiring to workforce management and professional development, we provide qualified people for mission-critical roles in our schools.