Ohio Center for Substitute Teachers

The Ohio Center for Substitute Teachers (OCST) was designed in response to school districts' need for quality substitute teachers. Our goal is to professionalize substitute teaching and we believe that with the right set of tools, all substitute teachers can meet or exceed expectations of school district staff, students and possibly, even themselves. We look forward to working with all participants in developing successful substitute teaching skills.

The correlation between teacher quality and student achievement is well established. When permanent teachers are out of the classroom, the only option available is the use of a substitute teacher. Nationally, a student, on average, will spend the equivalent of one academic year taught by a substitute teacher . With limited training, these valuable educators fill a void in what are often challenging situations.

Appropriate training results in higher retention rates of substitutes, as well as, increased levels of student performance. Yet, it is not uncommon for districts to spend millions of dollars a year on substitute teacher pay while spending nothing on training. Formal training of substitute teachers improves the quality of education, decreases school district liability, reduces the number of student and faculty complaints, and eliminates procedural uncertainty regarding district policies.

The Ohio Center for Substitute Teachers includes the following components and services:
1. A clearinghouse for research and best practices
2. Online training sessions which include development and practice of effective strategies for classroom management, lesson plan interpretation, instructional strategies, professional ethics, school expectations and procedures
3. Professional substitute teacher resources