Substitute Teaching Guidelines and Procedures

PDF version

Teacher candidate’s successful development into the first-year teacher is the primary goal for all teacher education programs. A teacher candidate is often one of the best qualified people in the community to be a substitute teacher having completed all the required education coursework. S/he is more familiar with the students and curriculum. The teacher candidate’s assignment will provide continuity and stability in the learning process and less disruption for students in the cooperating teacher’s class(es). 

Substitute teaching will benefit the teacher candidate in many ways, primarily, by gaining valuable experience and confidence in taking sole responsibility for a classroom. Substitute teaching will assist the teacher candidate to develop a sense of professionalism as a teacher in taking ownership of the classroom as an employee of the school district. It will also increase the teacher candidate’s understanding regarding the extent of preparation necessary as a substitute teacher. 

Guidelines/Requirements 

The following substitute teaching guidelines/requirements have been developed and must be met prior to teacher candidate substitute teaching approval: 

⎕  Successful Midterm Danielson-based Performance Assessment performed by Cooperating Teacher and Field Supervisor indicating satisfactory progress that teacher candidate is qualified to substitute teach.

⎕  Teacher Candidate must complete/submit the school district substitute teaching application and be accepted as a viable substitute teacher.

⎕  Teacher Candidate may only substitute teach in the cooperating teacher classroom for no more than five (5) days, and preferably, no more than three (3) consecutive days.

⎕  Teacher Candidate may not substitute teach during a teacher strike.

⎕  School administrator shall designate another teacher to serve as support/contact for any assistance needed during the substitute teaching assignment.

⎕  On the day(s) the teacher candidate is a substitute teacher, the candidate’s legal status as a substitute teacher/district employee will take precedence over the legal status as a teacher candidate. 

These guidelines/requirements must be met, or teacher candidate will not be granted permission by the Director of Field Placement and Licensure to substitute teach.
NOTE: MFPE (formerly MEA) representatives are only needed for Montana districts. Out-of-state candidates do not complete this option. In-state candidates can ask their administrators to provide the name and contact information for the union representative in their school. 

Please click on the following link, fill out, and submit the Substitute Teaching Approval Form.