A class at Ozarks Technical Community College now counts as training for people who want to become substitute teachers.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education approved OTC's class, “Orientation to the Teaching Profession,” as substitute teacher training.
The need for substitute teachers has been especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Orientation to the Teaching Professions" is an introductory course for OTC’s new teacher education degree. Those who take it will be eligible to apply with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to become a substitute teacher in Missouri.
“When the college revamped its teaching degree, we wanted to give students that substitute teacher training during their first semester so they could work in the classroom while completing their degree,” Angie Miller, department chair for teacher education, said in a news release. “With this approval, anyone in the state could take this course and then apply with DESE to become a substitute teacher.”
Last fall, the Missouri Board of Education changed the requirements to become a teaching sub. Now those who want to sub no longer have to have at least 60 college credit hours. They can have a high school diploma and appropriate substitute teacher training instead, and the class at OTC now qualifies as the required training.
It’s available online or in a hybrid format.
Find out more about the introductory class or about the teaching degree offered at OTC by calling 417-447-6604 or emailing milleran@otc.edu.