FYI on Updated Guidance on Paraeducators as Substitute Teachers

The Board of Educational Examiners has established an emergency rule to allow paraeducators employed in an Iowa public school district or non-public school who hold a paraeducator certificate with a substitute authorization as an area of concentration to be allowed to substitute outside their assigned special education classroom IF permission is granted. This permission is not intended for long-term subbing.

Administrators may submit a request here: Paraeducator Substitute Request Form

Additional Substitute Information

• License types approved for full substitute teaching (up to 90 days in one assignment):
• Initial, standard, master educator, permanent professional, or exchange licenses
• Professional administrator license
• Professional service license
• Full career and technical authorization
• Full native language teaching authorization
• Substitute license

Substitute authorizations have a day limitation for serving in one assignment (10 days in a row in a 30-day period); however, a district may request a waiver of the day limitation. See page 3 of this document: Helpful Hints for Schools Administrators/HR Directors

The degree requirement to obtain a substitute authorization is an associate’s degree or 60 semester hours through a college or university accredited through an institutional accrediting agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education. The substitute authorization course is still required, unless an applicant is enrolled in a teacher preparation program and can provide transcripts showing how the course requirements have been met.

Substitute authorization holders must be at least 21 years of age.

A student teacher who holds a substitute authorization may serve as a substitute for their cooperating teacher only, on a very limited basis (no long-term subbing), and can be paid as a substitute teacher for that day.