The licensure requirements for substitute teachers in Ohio will undergo significant changes once Senate Bill 216 (SB 216) goes into effect on July 1. The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) formerly issued both Long Term five-year, and Short Term one-year substitute licenses under Revised Code (RC) section 3319.226. This new bill effectively repeals RC 3319.226, and replaces both Long Term and Short Term licenses with a single license that can be issued for a one-year or five-year term.

Before SB 216, both Long Term and Short Term licenses were based on post-secondary coursework completed in the area related to licensure. Anyone with a bachelor’s degree could obtain a Short Term substitute license that allowed the holder to teach in a given classroom for up to 60 school days during the school year. The coursework requirements for a Long Term license varied depending on the type and subject area of licensure. For example, licensure in Early Childhood (PreK to Grade 3) required 12 semester hours in professional early childhood education, while licensure in Middle Childhood (Grades 4-9) required 20 semester hours in each subject requested. A Long Term license was effective for an unlimited number of school days in the named subject area and grade levels.

After June 30, ODE will no longer be issuing or renewing either Long Term or Short Term licenses. Fortunately for substitute teachers with either license, the licenses will continue to be valid for substitute teaching through the license’s expiration date.

Substitute licenses that will be issued after June 30 will be based on the post-secondary degree(s) of the license holder, as opposed to the post-secondary coursework completed in the area of licensure. The new license will generally fit into one of three categories: holders with a degree in education, holders with a degree in another subject related to an area of licensure, and holders with any other post-secondary degree. Licenses will be issued as follows:
 

Post-secondary degree in Education
  • Issued with a teaching field of “Education Degree-Unlimited subbing.”
  • Valid for daily substitute teaching (e.g., a different class each day) in any subject or grade level.
  • Valid for teaching unlimited days in a specific class in any subject or grade level.
Post-secondary degree in a subject related to an area of licensure
  • Issued with a teaching field in a designated subject area related to the post-secondary degree (e.g., Integrated Mathematics).
  • Valid for daily substitute teaching (e.g., a different class each day) in any subject or grade level.
  • Valid for teaching unlimited days in the designated subject area in any grade level.
  • Valid for teaching up to one semester in a specific class in other subjects with local school board approval.
Post-secondary degree in a subject unrelated to any area of licensure
  • Issued with no teaching field.
  • Valid for daily substitute teaching (e.g., a different class each day) in any subject or grade level.
  • Valid for teaching up to one semester in a specific class at any grade level with local school board approval.

For more information on licensure requirements, renewing or obtaining a first-time license, or general information on the type of substitute licenses currently available, visit the Ohio Department of Education's page dedicated to substitute licensure. 

*OSBA wishes to thank Capital University Law School student and OSBA intern Gamaliel Narvaez for his contributions to this article.

Posted by Sara C. Clark on 5/30/2019

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