How to Apply for Iowa Substitute Teaching Authorization

Authorization to do Iowa Substitute Teaching is available to you if you are 21 or older, hold a baccalaureate degree and successfully complete coursework required by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners.

This coursework, a minimum of 15 contact hours, is available at approved Iowa area education agencies (AEA's) scattered across the state. The coursework will cover classroom management, strategies for learning, diversity training, and ethical practice. Specific consideration will be given to motivation, behavior, procedural and declarative knowledge acquisition, cultural predilections, professional practice and more. You must complete the coursework before you begin substitute teaching.

Other things you will need are an official transcript from the college issuing your baccalaureate degree and a background check.

You must pass both an Iowa division of criminal investigation (DCI) and a national (FBI) background check. To intiate these checks, you can obtain a background check packet on-line from the Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE). This packet contains a background waiver and instructions for fingerprinting.

Although fingerprinting may be done in several locations, the BOEE would like fingerprinting to be done in its office. To do this, you should set up an appointment with them by phoning (515) 281 3245. To varify your identity, bring your driver's license or your passport with you the day of the appointment. Also, bring the completed waver--although the waver may be obtained and filled out at the office, if needed. As a bonus, for fingerprinting at the BOEE office, the backgrounding fee—which you will include with your application-- is reduced to $52.

Nevertheless, even though the BOEE would prefer fingerprinting to be done in its Des Moines office, if you have an appointment, you may be fingerprinted by the BOEE at an authorized college or AEA . Or, you may have a local police or sheriff's office do the fingerprinting on an official BOEE card. Realize that you will have to have an appointment and will have to pay any fee charged at the latter locations in addition to the customary fees charged by the BOEE. Also note that the fingerprint card used must be prepared and eventually presented to the BOEE according to strict specifications.

Along with the fingerprint card, you will also need to provide a background waiver, which allows officials to review your records. This waiver may be filled out by downloading the document (in either PDF or Doc formats) from the BOEE Web site. The BOEE office also has this waiver.

When you are filling out the application and waiver, use dark blue or black ink.

Finally, make out a check or money order for $150 (authorization fee: $85, backgground fee: $65) and send it along with your application, your fingerprint card, and your waver to the Board of Educational Examiners, Licensure, Grimes State Office Building, 400 E. 14th St., Des Moines, IA 50319-0147. (If you did your fingerprinting at the BOEE office, send only $137.) Do not send cash.

Note: If you are a student in an Iowa college or university, you are required to use a money order because your address and bank is apt to change. If you have changed your name, you will have to submit a photocopy of official legal documentation.

You may have to wait a month for the application to be processed. When you receive your authorization, you may substitute teach in any middle school, junior high, or high school classroom for a maximum of 5 days per assignment.

*Note: You may also acquire a substitute teaching authorization if you serve in a special education classroom , but the authorization only lasts 5 days served in the special education classrrom to which you are assigned.