LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky lawmakers advanced a bill that would make becoming a substitute teacher easier in efforts to combat the statewide educator shortage.

What You Need To Know

  • House Bill 387 proposes eliminating the requirement that substitutes have some college credit hours in order to teach in the classroom 

  • Those with just a high school diploma could get a one-year emergency substitute teaching certificate

  • Denise Finley has been an educator for 37 years and is concerned the lack of training could cause problems

The proposal has teachers like Denise Finley concerned.

Finley was a public school teacher for 37 years. In her retirement, she has spent the past seven years as a substitute teacher.

“I did not plan on having to substitute as much as I am. I just wanted to, you know, enjoy my life. But my colleagues are struggling,” she said.

House Bill 387 will make it easier to become a substitute teacher by reducing the requirements. Under current law, 64 hours of college coursework is required to become a substitute, but the revision will reduce it to a high school diploma or a GED.

Finley says without proper training, no one can last in this career.

“It’s the specific skill set that you are taught in school and college. That’s why we have practicum. So that’s why we have a student teaching. So, I get that they’re trying to solve this problem, but they don’t last long because they’ve not had that experience of going in,” she said.

Every district will be able to grant emergency substitute certification for one year, and to those who have a Bachelor’s degree, the certificate will be valid for five years and 10 years for those with a Master’s degree.

“Over my career, a 37-year career, we have slowly lost teachers due to not having that same emphasis on the importance of my profession,” she shared.

Finley says it’s time to invest in education and pay teachers more. “We are one of the most important professions for the future of our country and our state,” she added.

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