Guest Teacher/Substitute Training

Lancaster-Lebanon IU13 offers Guest Teacher Training on behalf of Lancaster and Lebanon County school districts. Individuals who have earned a bachelor’s degree in any content area and wish to serve as a day-to-day substitute teacher may enroll in the program. The program is designed to provide participants with limited or no classroom experience with the necessary training to qualify as day-to-day substitutes.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) allows school districts and intermediate units to apply for emergency certification for qualified candidates. Candidates who have completed the training may elect to substitute in school districts that participate in the IU13 Guest Teacher Program and/or may apply as a Guest Teacher with Substitute Teacher Service (STS).

The Guest Teacher Training is done in two parts: online training and one on-site training day from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Lunch will be provided.

Each Guest Teacher exits the training program with the basic skills and resources to be a substitute teacher on a day-to-day basis and an emergency permit issued by the PA Department of Education (PDE). Guest Teachers who have completed the training program and are approved for an emergency permit can be a substitute teacher in any participating public school district or Career and Technology Centers (CTC) in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties, as well as the Lancaster-Lebanon IU13.

Make a positive impact in our schools, decide when and where you work, and experience the rewarding world of substitute teaching by applying to our next training program.

*Important Dates – Guest Teacher Program

• Deadline to Apply: July 1, 2025
• Interviews: Week of July 7, 2025
• Training Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
• Training Time: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm – lunch will be provided
• Training Locations: IU13- Lancaster – Burle 1020 New Holland Ave, Lancaster, PA 17601

Guest Teacher FAQs    IU13 Substitute Pay Rates

Applying to the Program:

Interested applicants may begin the process by completing a Guest Teacher Training Application.

Guest Teacher applications will be reviewed, and if approved to move forward, applicants will be contacted to set up a time for an interview.  If selected for an interview, the Guest Teacher applicant must be available on one of the interview dates listed above to complete the interview.  Interviews will be conducted virtually and last approximately 15 minutes. Applicants who are selected for the program will be notified by email.  The Guest Teacher must be available to attend the one day of mandatory training listed above from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Training Program Costs:

The costs associated with the program include:

• Official sealed transcripts– the expense associated with the university charges for official sealed transcripts is the responsibility of the applicant. DO NOT upload these documents during the application process. We must receive the transcripts directly from the university via email or sealed envelope. After registration, an email address for transcripts to be sent to will be provided .
• PA Criminal Clearance ($22)
• Child Abuse Clearance ($13)

• FBI Clearance ($26.20)
  • For FBI Fingerprinting at IU13 (Lancaster Office):  www.iu13.org/FingerprintingAppointments.
  • For FBI Fingerprinting at another location: go to the IdentoGO website.

• Health physical and TB test (documented on the School Personnel Health Record Form)
• $30 non-refundable* program fee (to be paid via credit card online after acceptance to the training program)

** NOTE: Clearances must be obtained less than 12 months prior to the date of the in-person training.  You may not use clearances that were obtained for volunteer purposes.

Required Online Training:

Act 126 training (mandatory training on child abuse recognition and reporting) is required for any employees who have direct contact with children. This training will be completed using an online module which will be sent to you via a Panopto system email.

Day of Training:

During the training, participants will learn about:

• Responsibilities of being a substitute teacher
• Classroom management and behavior techniques
• Instructional strategies to engage learners
• Special education overview
• Communication and collaboration strategies

Foreign-Educated Applicants

A person educated in a foreign country may be eligible for substitute teaching provided the applicant meets the requirements set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Each foreign-educated applicant will be required to have his/her credentials evaluated. A list of organizations is provided on PDE’s website.

Renewal Process

Each year after the initial training year, the Guest Teacher will receive an email from the Lancaster-Lebanon IU13 HR Department requesting information about the emergency permit renewal.  The Guest Teacher is responsible for returning the information requested as well as the permit fee (via credit card online) by the deadline.  The email is sent in June of each year.

Guest Teacher Renewal FAQs

For more information, please call 717-606-1849 or email gtt@iu13.org.

*Guest Teachers who work a minimum of 10 assignments in IU13 Special Education classrooms may request a full refund of their $30 registration fee. Refund requests should be put in writing to hr@iu13.org. Refund request is only valid for trainings beginning August 19, 2016, and forward.