Friday, February 25, 2022

FYI on Updated Guidance on Paraeducators as Substitute Teachers

Update
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.

Iowa State University Presents the Go Further Girls STEM Conference on March 24

Go Further Girls STEM Conference
Registration is now open for the Go Further Girls STEM Conference hosted by The Program for Women in Science and Engineering at Iowa State University. At this conference, girls in grades 8-10 learn about STEM college and career opportunities, engage in hands-on activities, and meet female-identifying role models. Register today to bring your students to the spring conferences, held at ISU, on March 24 (8th grade) and March 31 (9th/10th grade). After registration, the educator/group coordinator will receive information on how to select sessions, add student names, indicate dietary needs, etc. Contact Sarah DuBois at sedubois@iastate.edu with questions.

ITAG Spring 2022 Virtual Workshop to be Held on April 20

itag Iowa Talented and Gifted Association
Interested in equitable and inclusive gifted identification and programming? Collaborate with your colleagues and Dina Brulles, ElizaBeth Warner, and Iowa Department of Education Gifted and Talented Consultant Rosanne Malek. Learn strategies and techniques to address student needs. Plan to join us for the ITAG Spring 2022 Virtual Workshop on April 23 from 8:45 a.m. - 3 p.m. Find more information and registration at https://www.iowatag.org/spring-2022-virtual-workshop/.