Substitute Teachers

Substitute Certificate Processes

NOTE: Individuals with valid Missouri teaching certificates who wish to substitute teach in a school district are no longer required by the department to apply for a substitute certificate. This includes individuals who hold an initial professional, career continuous professional, lifetime, student services, administration, provisional, and/or temporary certificate.  There are restrictions on the number of hours a retired teacher may substitute teach.  If, at any time, the educator allows his/her teaching certificate to expire, then a substitute certificate would be required.

• To apply for your first Substitute Certificate
  • Substitute Certificate Checklist

• To Renew a Substitute Certificate that has expired or will expire soon
  • Log into your profile in the educator certification system.  
    • Please Note:  If you have not logged in to your certification account (online profile) in over 12 months, then you will need to register for a new userid and password in order to restore your access.  You will need to follow steps 1 & 2 of the Educator Certification System Help Guide to complete this process.​
  • Once you are logged in, click on the Substitute application located in the menu to the left of your profile screen. Complete and submit the application.
  • A processing fee of $50 is required.  The fee will be paid at the time the application is submitted online.  Fees may be paid by credit/debit card or by e-check.
  • Transcripts must be submitted if not currently on file with the department.  To determine if your transcripts are currently on file, log into your certification account.  Click on the education link located in the menu to the left of your profile screen.  Transcripts must show that they have been received.  Transcripts should be mailed to Educator Certification, PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO  65102.  Please be sure to include your Social Security number or Educator ID number on all of the transcripts.
  • A new criminal fingerprint/background clearance will be required if you have not been employed as a substitute teacher during the current school year.  If you have been employed as a substitute teacher, please contact your local school district to request that they verify your experience in their online Substitute Verification Log.

• Types of Substitute Certificates

DESE issues two types of substitute certificates, depending upon the setting(s) in which an individual will be placed.  Regardless of the type of substitute certificate, each applicant is required to complete a background check if he/she is requesting a new certificate or is considered to be a new hire at a school district.  If an applicant has previously fingerprinted for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, a new fingerprint clearance will be required if the previous one is over twelve months old. 

A Content Substitute certificate is for individuals wishing to substitute teach in the K-12 classroom setting (elementary, middle/high school content areas, special education, art, music, PE, etc.).  A Content Substitute certificate may be granted to an individual who has completed a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit from a regionally accredited, academic degree-granting, college or university.  Verification of these hours must be provided with an original transcript from each institution the applicant has attended.

A Career Technical Substitute certificate is for individuals who will only substitute teach in a career center or an approved vocational program in courses such as carpentry, welding, nursing, etc.  A Career Technical Substitute certificate is granted based upon an applicant’s occupational experience and training in a specific field.  Applicants must meet one of the following:

A bachelor’s degree in an area appropriate for the career/technical area sought and four thousand (4,000) hours of locally approved, related occupational experience; or

An associate's degree in an area appropriate for the career/technical area sought and five thousand (5,000) hours of locally approved, related experience; or

Six thousand (6,000) hours of locally approved, related occupational experience.

• You need to view or print your certificate
• You will need to log on to DESE Web Applications with your user id and password.  Once you have access to your profile page, the Certificate Status link is located in the Menu to the left.  By clicking on Certificate Status, you will see the box that says View Substitute Certificate.  You will then be able to view and print your substitute certificate.  

TO LOG INTO YOUR ONLINE EDUCATOR PROFILE

To access your certification account (online profile) you must first log into DESE Web Applications with a user ID and password, and then choose the Educator Certification System link located on the User Applications page.  Your certification account (online profile) provides access to each of the following:

• Apply for a certificate
• Print out a certificate
• View a certificate or pending application
• View assessment scores
• Check for the receipt of transcripts
• Check fingerprint/background status

Please Note:  If you have not logged in to your certification account (online profile) in over 12 months, then you will need to register for a new user ID and password in order to restore your access.  You will need to follow steps 1 & 2 of the Educator Certification System Help Guide to complete this process.