The School Board of Sarasota County shall employ substitute teachers and temporary and substitute classified staff that may be employed on a day-to-day basis to temporarily replace teachers and classified staff who are absent from duty and when their services are necessary to the efficient operation of the school system.

I. Substitute teachers and support of classified staff will be employed from the official substitute list prepared and maintained by the Human Resources Department. The School Board authorizes the Executive Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations to provide substitutes who shall:

A. Exhibit good moral character;

B. Be physically able to perform the duties of a substitute;

C. Be required to undergo medical and drug screening;

D. Submit two (2) work references; from past or present supervisors.

E. Fingerprinting: submit fingerprints in the same manner as required for all personnel by section 1012.32, F.S. The Human Resources Department will administer this procedure.

II. Basic Qualifications - Instructional

The Executive Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations shall ensure that each candidate for employment in an instructional substitute position meet all requirements for employment set forth in I. above and shall maintain records of such information in the candidate’s application file. Additionally instructional substitutes must meet the following criteria:

A. Age - Meet the age requirement, which has been established by the State of Florida for Certificated Personnel, of eighteen (18) years.

B. Health - Meet the health requirements which have been established for certificated personnel.

C. Completed instructional job application.

D. Complete an initial orientation/training program in school district policies and procedures addressing school safety and security procedures, educational liability laws, professional responsibilities, and ethics.

E. Minimum level of training at the bachelor’s level. Under extraordinary circumstances, exceptions for good cause may be approved by the Executive Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations or his/her designee for persons with a minimum of sixty (60) hours of university credit.

F. Teaching Experience:

1. Submit documentation (i.e., a contract, evaluation, or employment verification) verifying the applicant possessed a valid teaching certificate and taught in a U.S. public or private school within the preceding five (5) years from date of application or

2. Complete the District’s Substitute Endorsement Program.

III. The applicant for classified or support substitute position must meet the following requirements:

A. Health - Meet the health requirements which have been established for classified personnel.

B. References - Provide two (2) satisfactory, written references from former employers and/or supervisors.

C. Submit completed employment application with all required information to the Human Resources Department.

IV. Initial Certificate for Instructional Substitutes - A Sarasota County substitute teaching certificate will be issued to those candidates meeting criteria in section

II. The certificate issued will be for substitute teaching only and it will be issued for a five (5) year period. It will be effective July 1 of the school year issued and it will expire June 30, five (5) years hence.

V. Certification Renewal - The Sarasota County substitute teaching certificate may be renewed upon the candidate’s submission of a notarized criminal history statement. The Human Resources Department will review the criminal history statement and authorize renewal of the certificate if the reviewer finds no serious criminal activity noted on the record.

VI. Compensation

A. Substitute teachers and classified employees will be paid at hourly rates approved by the School Board.

B. Contracts for temporary employees for more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) must be approved by the School Board prior to commitment.