While both substitute teachers and substitute classroom assistants support students in the classroom, their roles and responsibilities are very different.
Substitute Teachers:
Take full responsibility for the classroom in the absence of the regular teacher
Deliver instruction and follow lesson plans (or create them in long-term assignments)
Manage classroom behavior and daily routines
Are properly credentialed with a teacher license or a substitute teacher license.
Daily pay rate is $150/day
Substitute Teacher Assistants:
Work under the direction of a teacher or substitute teacher
Provide instructional and behavioral support to students
Help maintain classroom routines and share knowledge of students and procedures
Pay rate is $16.60/hr
To serve as a Substitute Teacher in Illinois, you must have one of the following credentials before you can sub:
Professional Educator License (PEL) – Has a full teaching license. If you already have this, you can substitute without a separate substitute license.
Substitute Teaching License (SUB) – The standard substitute license issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) issued if hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or are enrolled in an Illinois approved educator preparation program with 90 semester hours of coursework.
Short-Term Substitute License (STS) – A limited substitute license may be issued to anyone who holds an Associate's degree or show completion of 60 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution
To obtain a Substitute Teaching License (SUB), applicants must:
Apply for the Substitute License through their Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) account on the ISBE website.
Register the issued license with the Regional Office of Education #11
The Substitute License is valid for five years and may be renewed according to ISBE guidelines. If you do not have a Substitute Teaching License and meet these requirements click here - Substitute Teaching Application.
*You may apply for a refund of the registration fee within 18 months of issuance of the substitute teaching license if you provide evidence that you have substitute taught at least 10 full school days within one year of issuance. You must complete form 73-02 "Substitute License Fee Refund Request" and have a district complete: Part II.
To serve as a Classroom Assistant/Paraprofessional in Illinois, you must meet the following credentials before you can sub:
A high school diploma/GED or higher
Indivduals who are 18 years of age may serve students in grades PK-8
Yes! if you hold a Paraprofessional License and have a Bachelor’s Degree on file, you are qualified to be a substitute teacher. The same is true if you hold a Teacher or Substitute Teacher License, you can serve as a classroom assistant.