Substitute Teaching: SubCentral
Help Iowa school districts and students this year by becoming authorized as a substitute teacher!
Grant Wood Area Education Agency houses a computer system called 'SubCentral' that processes substitutes for teachers at 14 school districts including Alburnett, Anamosa, Cedar Rapids, Central City, Center Point-Urbana, College Community, Grant Wood, Marion, Linn-Mar, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Springville, Summit, and Xavier Catholic Schools.
Steps to Apply for a Substitute Authorization
Get Authorized Access SubCentral
What Substitute Teachers Can Expect:
- Pay for substitute teachers at the 14 SubCentral school districts is $18.50 per hour. (Effective July 1, 2024)
- Substitute teachers can pick the days they work.
- Perform all related duties in the absence of the regular teacher.
- Provide continuity in the day to day classroom environment while supporting student achievement.
Who Can Be A Sub?
It's now easier than ever to qualify to substitute teach!
Recent Iowa legislation changed the degree requirements for substitute authorizations. These requirements are now:
- Must be at least 18 years of age;
- have a substitute authorization (sub authorization courses linked below). Educators who already have a teaching license need not receive a substitute authorization.
- An Associate's Degree or completed 60 semester hours through a regionally accredited college or university, or a Baccalaureate degree
Individuals meeting these requirements may work as a substitute teacher in preK-12 classrooms for no more than ten consecutive days in a thirty-day period in one job assignment for a regularly assigned teacher who is absent.
Additionally, full substitute authority is available to additional license types. The following licensure will provide an individual with full substitute authority and up to 90 days in the same assignment.
View Licensure Options
• Initial teaching license*
• Standard teaching license
• Master educator license
• Exchange license (teacher or administrator)
• Initial administrator license*
• Professional administrator license
• Initial professional service license*
• Full professional service license
• Full career and technical authorization
• Full native language teaching authorization
• Permanent professional
• Substitute license
*substitute experience cannot be used to move to the next license level
What Training Is Required?
The following key resources/link offer you a quick resource for Substitute Authorization throughout the state of Iowa.
- Substitute Authorization Courses:
- Grant Wood AEA course options and Statewide course options
The course may be completed through any approved Iowa provider including all Iowa AEAs.
- Grant Wood AEA course options and Statewide course options
- Iowa Substitute Teaching Authorization Self-Paced Course:
- Statewide course option
- This is a course to obtain an initial Iowa Substitute Teaching Authorization. This authorization makes you eligible for districts to hire as a substitute teacher.
- This course cannot be used for License Renewal Credit.
- Required Trainings for Licensed Educators:
- During the substitute registration process additional training is made available at no charge through SubCentral. Substitute teachers can expect to complete:
View Requirements
- Bloodborne Pathogens Training
- Overview of State Requirements Regarding Seclusion and Restraint: Chapter 103
- Mandatory Reporter: Child Abuse
- Mandatory Reporter: Dependent Adult Abuse
- Suicide Prevention and Postvention
- Adverse Childhood Experiences
- Training will be available through AEA Learning Online.
Additional employee training may be required by the district.
Additional Information:
Grant Wood AEA Professional Development
Julie Stoneking, Professional Learning Coordinator jstoneking@gwaea.org
Ann Finneman, Registrar gwaeapd@gwaea.org
How The Selection/Placement Process Works Once You Are In The System
Each sub will select which district(s) they are interested in working in by completing all of the online payroll paperwork as part of the initial registration. Substitute teachers can always choose to add or delete districts at any time by either requesting to be removed or completing new district paperwork.
Questions?
Sheryl Dolley,
SubCentral Operator
subcentral@gwaea.org
Help Desk: 319-399-6761
Are you already eligible to substitute teach? We are hiring!
Apply Today Through SubCentral
Become a Paraprofessional/Associate
Paraprofessionals provide assistance to a variety of students including those with and without disabilities, health needs, limited English, etc. They work in a range of educational settings including general education classrooms, lunchrooms, playgrounds, school buses, vocational work sites, computer labs, and school media centers.
Paraprofessionals are needed at these six school districts: Cedar Rapids, College Community, Grant Wood, Linn-Mar, Springville and Summit.
Benefits:
- You decide the days you'd like to work.
- Pay is determined by the school district.
- Help your community when paraprofessionals are needed the most!