KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Since the COVID-19 pandemic, substitute teachers are still in demand to fill absences short and long-term in school districts.
For Kansas, standard substitute teachers are required to hold a degree, complete a teacher preparation program and clear a background check. You can learn how to apply here.
For Missouri, there are two routes.
Substitutes must have a minimum of 36 credit hours or complete a state-approved substitute teacher course. Those requirements changed in June 2022.
The 20-hour online course is only offered through Frontline Education, Kelly Education and approved Missouri higher-education institutions.
Keith Elliott works for Kelly Services, which helps recruit and place subs in both states. He said the change to Missouri’s requirements will hopefully increase the applicant pool.
“So what the state of Missouri has done is said, 'Hey, we now have a 20-hour training course that teaches you things like classroom management, conflict de-escalation, things that substitutes really need to be successful in a classroom,'” Elliott said. “Kelly's taken that a step further and developed our own training that we have shared with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Missouri."
Elliott said Kelly Services hasn’t seen a noticeable increase in substitute applications. He said they saw a 10-15% increase in demand from schools post-pandemic, which continues to be true ahead of the new school year.
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