Once an educator holds a current three-year short-term substitute license, they may short-term substitute at any Wisconsin school district that employs them. This license allows the educator to be in a short-term (no more than 45 days in a specific assignment) substitute assignment. The Three-Year Short-Term Substitute license does not allow the license holder to be in a long-term substitute assignment. For long-term substitute assignments, the applicant may apply for a License with Stipulations if requested by the employing school district. A license with stipulations requires the educator to be enrolled in and complete a state-approved educator preparation program in the subject or grade level of their assignment under the License with Stipulations.
A three-year short-term substitute license may be issued to an applicant who:
- hold an associate degree or higher from an accredited college or university as demonstrated by an official transcript. (An applicant may also request an associate degree from their four-year institution).
AND - who have successfully completed an approved substitute training program
See details below
OR
- Is enrolled in a Wisconsin preparation program approved by the state superintendent.
- Is at least 20 years of age
- Has successfully completed a minimum number of credits to have achieved junior status if enrolled in an approved preparation program leading to a bachelor's degree,
AND - Has completed 15 hours of classroom observation
Review How to Complete the Substitute Teacher Verification Form (PI-1975)
Degree + Substitute Training
Applicants must successfully complete the district-selected substitute training. As per PI 34.032, the substitute training must include all of the following:
- Basic school district and school policies and procedures.
- Age-appropriate teaching strategies.
- Discipline, conflict resolution, and classroom management techniques.
- Health and safety issues, including handling medical emergencies.
- Techniques for starting a class.
- The culture of schools and the teaching profession.
- Working with lesson plans.
- Working with children with disabilities, including confidentiality issues.
Substitute Teacher Training Programs
The following organizations offer training programs for substitute teaching:
CESA 1 Substitute Teacher Training
CESA 2 Substitute Teacher Training
CESA 3 Substitute Teacher Training
CESA 4 Substitute Teacher Training
CESA 5 Substitute Teacher Training
CESA 6 Substitute Teacher Training
CESA 9 Substitute Teacher Training
CESA 10 Substitute Teacher Training
CESA 11 Substitute Teacher Training
CESA 12 Substitute Teacher Training
WEAC Professional Development Academy
STEDI.org - Note: a score of 85% or higher is required on STEDI's assessment
The state superintendent has authorized districts to provide their own training for short-term substitutes and approved the WTCS Foundations of Teacher Education associate degree program as meeting the requirements of substitute training.