Bill that would lower requirements for substitute teachers passes Kentucky House

Lawmakers trying to address the state's teacher shortage.

Kentucky lawmakers are considering significantly lowering the bar to be a substitute teacher in the state.

House Bill 387 proposes eliminating the requirement that substitutes have some college credit hours. Right now, the requirement is at least 64 hours, but the bill would make it zero.

Those with just a high school diploma could get a one-year emergency substitute teaching certificate. Additionally, it would allow for five-year substitute teaching certificates to anyone with a bachelor's degree, 10-year certificates would be allowed for those eligible for a Kentucky teaching certificate, previously held one, or were certified to teach in another state.

This comes as lawmakers try to address the state's teacher shortage.

The bill's primary sponsor, Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, is a principal and said the bill is a necessity. 

"Teachers do not want to miss (school)," Truett said in a news release Wednesday evening. "Sometimes they come in on days they shouldn't be there. Some days I've had teachers roll in with the flu because there's no substitute to take their spot, so this would just ease their minds a little bit."

One Democratic Louisville lawmakers were among the "no" votes on the bill.

Democratic Louisville Rep. Daniel Grossberg, who was among the "no" votes on the bill, said he would like to see 18- and 19-year-olds exempt, to prevent them from being substitute teachers to other teenagers.

Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, said that while she doesn't usually support lower qualifications, the bill is needed, noting that the bill "would not require schools to hire substitutes with an emergency certification."

"If you have a high school, you may not choose to have someone who is in this age range if it is someone who is newly out of high school," Bojanowski said in a news release. "I do know from (Truett's) conversation is that there are people in our communities who could be really good subs who don't meet that qualification, and for that reason I support the bill."

The bill passed the House by an 88-4 vote on Wednesday and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

To read more about HB 387, click here.