Substituting Information

It is a pleasure to welcome you as a Substitute Teacher for the Marin County School Districts. We are pleased that you have chosen to be a part of our team and to share our goal of providing a quality education for all students. You are a vital part of the school system, and play an important role in delivering continuity of instruction during absences of regular teaching staff. It is our hope that this Web page, designed especially for you, will be a helpful source of information.

John A. Carroll, Marin County Superintendent of Schools

We appreciate your interest in substituting. We are currently transitioning the application to Frontline. Once the application becomes available, it will be hyperlinked below. 

To register or reactivate on the county-wide substitute teacher consortium pool list, you are required to complete and submit a completed Frontline application with the required attachments.

Reactivating substitutes typically need to complete requirements 4-6 below, complete the EdJoin application, and upload required documents to reactivate on the county-wide substitute list. 

Upon submitting an EdJoin application for the county-wide substitute teacher consortium pool, the applicant agrees for the Marin County Office of Education to share the applicant's information with employing school districts. 

Requirement Information and Resources:

1. Qualifying for a substitute permit:
   1. Two types of sub permits
   2. Transcript requirement and where to email your transcripts
   3. Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) for the Prospective Teachers Emergency Substitute Permit
2. Create your Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) account prior to live scanning, or fingerprinting. 
   1. This link provides instructions on creating a Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) profile.
      1. DO NOT submit a sub permit application. 
         1. The Credentials Analyst will recommend you for the sub permit. 
3. Print and take the below fingerprinting/live scan form(s) to 1005 Northgate Drive, San Rafael (this is the UPS store).
   1. Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) - Form A0281 (Keep this form for your records - do not upload to your EdJoin application nor email it.)
   2. Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) - Form A0572 (Keep this form for your records - do not upload to your EdJoin application nor email it.)
   3. We have an account at this specific UPS store and will cover the fingerprinting cost(s). 
   4. Both forms are required if you are new to working in Education, this is your first permit on the CTC website, and you have not previously been employed by the Marin County Office of Education or registered on the county-wide substitute list.
   5. If you hold a valid, non-expired credential or document on the Commission on Teacher Credentialing's website, do not re-live scan for them.  
4. TB Clearance (Upload and attach to your EdJoin application):
   1. Informational document (includes a TB test location).
   2. Your TB clearance must be within the last 60 days. 
5. Keenan Trainings (Upload the certificates and attach to your EdJoin application):
   1. How to access the trainings 
   2. Mandated Reporter:
      1. Abuse or Neglect Reporting Requirements Agreement
      2. Mandated Reporter Penal Code
6. Substituting preferences form (Complete, upload, and attach to your EdJoin application)

If at any time you're deactivated from the county-wide substitute list, you must reactivate on the county-wide substitute list and re-register with the employing school district(s). 

The Marin County Office of Education offers free professional development workshops for the county-wide substitute consortium list. The workshops can include classroom management techniques, SEL (social-emotional learning), county-wide sub updates and reminders, and networking opportunities. 

We ask that you bring a fully charged laptop or tablet with you to complete the activities. Registration is available here (https://forms.gle/vY4y6S4cv9B9cMmKA).

The 2025/2026 Workshop Schedule:

• Back to School, August 27^th (slide deck)
• Sub 101 Workshop, September 17^th 
• End of Year Celebration, June 3^rd 

All workshops are from 3 - 5pm and are in-person at MCOE (1111 Las Gallinas Ave., San Rafael). 

Stay tuned for additional training opportunities.   

Office hour meetings provide new, continuing, and reactivating substitutes the opportunity to meet with the Credentials Analyst.

Meetings can include one's recommendation and completing the Emergency 30 Day Permit application, reviewing your file and confirming expiration dates, and/or asking questions about substituting in Marin County. This meeting is optional.

• Zoom:
  • Monday: Join from 2:30pm - 4pm - no appointment necessary. Click on zoom to join.
• In-person:
  • Wednesday: By appointment. Visit Calendly to schedule a meeting.
• Revised Schedule:
  • Monday, October 27^th: 2 - 3:30pm

I look forward to meeting with you!

Assembly Bill 2534 (AB 2534) requires by law that each certificated applicant provides a complete list of previous employment at every school district, county office of education, charter school, and/or state special school regardless of the length of service.  This includes any part-time and/or substitution work in addition to any full-time employment positions.

AB 2534 ensures transparency and accountability in the hiring process for school district employees. More information about AB 2534 is available at this link.

In order to meet this requirement, you must add the information to your EdJoin profile. After you are active on the county-wide substitute list, you will need to apply to each district you're interested in working for in this county. The employing districts are responsible for checking your employment history.

Documents are accepted via mail and in-person delivery.

For security purposes, emailed documents are not accepted.

• Mail:

Marin County Office of Education

Attn: Credentials Analyst

P.O. Box 4925

1111 Las Gallinas Ave., San Rafael 94903

• In-person delivery:
  1. Provide document(s) to Kimberly Phetphadoung (available 8am - 12pm & 2pm - 5pm Monday - Friday).
  2. The Credentials Analyst has a locked inbox outside her office. Drop off times are 8am - 5pm Monday - Friday at 1111 Las Gallinas Ave., San Rafael.

The below documents provide your processing timeline and your next steps:

• For credential holders
• For those applying for a sub permit

Once you're activated on the county-wide substitute list, you will receive a confirmation email. Then you must register with the district(s) (the employer(s)).

Below are tips to help one be a successful substitute:

• Store all usernames, passwords, and/or pin numbers in a secure location (i.e.: Frontline and Commission on Teacher Credentialing).
• Be aware of your sub permit or credential expiration date.
• Provide your renewed credential to your employing school districts.
• Keep a copy of your TB clearance for your records.
• Register with each employing school district after becoming activated on the county-wide substitute list.
• Add the Credentials Analyst's email address (aridings@marinschools.org) and the HR Tech's email address (kphetphadoung@marinschools.org) to your email contacts. This will ensure our emails go to your inbox and not your spam/junk folder.
• In case of an emergency cancellation of your assignment (through Frontline, if applicable), call and email the employing district office.

To access an 'Acronyms & Terms Across California's TK-12 Education System', visit this link.

The 30/20 Day Rule

Cumulative Day Length Limit for Substituting

Title 5 §80025.3(a): Individuals who hold a valid document which required the completion of a bachelor’s degree & the basic skills requirement (i.e. requirements for Emergency 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit) are authorized to serve as day-to-day substitutes. Individuals are allowed to substitute for no more than 30 days for any one teacher during the school year with one exception. Fully credentialed teachers (credential based on a bachelor’s degree, teacher preparation program, & student teaching) may substitute for more than 30 days for any one teacher as long as he/she is serving in the subject area(s) authorized by their credential. Fully credentialed teachers may not substitute outside the authorized area for more than 30 days for any one teacher.

T5 §80025: The Emergency 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit authorizes the holder to serve as a substitute in any classroom; preschool, kindergarten and grades 1-12, inclusive; or in classes organized primarily for adults within each county in which the permit is registered provided the employing agency has a completed Statement of Need on file for the school year. However, the holder shall not serve as a substitute for more than 30 days for any one teacher during the school year.

Title 5 §80025.4: Substituting in a Special Education Classroom: EC §56061(a), which is under the authority of the CDE, specifies that individuals who hold documents authorizing substitute teaching may not serve in a special education classroom for any one teacher more than 20 days during a school year. In order for the teacher to serve in that assignment beyond the 20 day limit, the individual must hold a special education teaching credential, teaching permit, or waiver which authorizes service to the population of students in the classroom.

You will receive a confirmation email once you are activated on the county-wide sub list. The next step is to register with the district(s), the employers, you want to sub for during the school year.

Click here for the District Pay Rates and Contact/Registration Information sheet. This document is updated throughout the school year.

Questions regarding pay should be directed to your employing district(s).

If at any time you're deactivated from the county-wide sub list, you must reactivate on the county-wide sub list and re-register with your employing district(s).

Should you have any further questions, please connect with your employing school district(s).

The school year is July 1^st to June 30^th.

Active subs who hold a valid, non-expired credential or sub permit and valid TB clearance will remain active on the county-wide sub list and be considered registered and active in the new school year. 

If one's credential/sub permit or TB clearance expires on July 1^st and the individual lets their credential or TB clearance lapse, the individual is deactivated from the county-wide substitute list. To reactivate, one must complete the reactivation requirements and submit an EdJoin application. 

We will continue to provide credential and TB expiration reports at the beginning of each month.    

The Keenan trainings will be available and listed in your Keenan profile on Monday, August 4^th. The training(s) must be completed by end of day on Friday, September 26^th to remain active on the county-wide substitute list. We ask you do not complete the trainings early. If a training is completed early, it will not count towards the 2025/2026 school year requirement. 

If one completes the training(s) through a district Keenan account and not through their sub consortium Keenan account, it is the individual's responsibility to mail or deliver the completion certificate(s) to the Marin County Office of Education. We are not accepting emailed certificates.  

Failure to complete the training(s) will result in one being deactivated from the county-wide list. Review the information in the "How to Become a Sub" tab to reactivate on the county-wide substitute list. 

As in previous years, we will offer watch parties at the MCOE office for those interested. The watch party schedule will be released in late July/early August.

It is your responsibility to connect with your employing school district(s) to inform them of your interest in working in their district.  

The County-Wide Substitute Consortium uses Keenan SafeSchools to complete the required trainings.

The required trainings for the 2025/2026 School Year will be announced shortly. The Keenan trainings will be available and listed in your Keenan profile on Monday, August 4^th. The training(s) must be completed by end of day on Friday, September 26^th to remain active on the county-wide substitute list. We can access your completion certificates, and we ask you do not complete the trainings early. If a training is completed early, it will not count towards the 2025/2026 school year requirement. 

The trainings are based on school year (July - June), not calendar year (January - December).

Each district manages it's own Keenan system. Important note: if you complete the trainings through a district Keenan website, or another county office, you must mail, not email, the completion certificates to the Credentials Analyst, as the county will not receive your completion certificates. Upon receiving the certificate(s), we will review for transferability. Additionally, the districts may require additional training(s) that the county does not require subs to complete.

This is the link to the county-wide sub consortium Keenan website. The trainings can be accessed in the "How to Become a Sub" section or by clicking on this link. We ask that your username is your full email address, we do not require you to create a password, and the trainings are automatically assigned. 

TB and Credential or Sub Permit reminders are emailed from the Credentials Analyst approximately a month prior to expiration.

We encourage you to keep a copy of your TB clearance on file, as we are unable to provide a copy.

TB Clearance:

Your updated TB clearance is due at the end of the month prior to your TB clearance expiring. For example, if your TB clearance expires on April 1^st, the updated TB clearance is due no later than March 31^st.  

I send an email a month prior to expiration. This email includes the TB due date and ways to submit the TB clearance. Emailed documents are not accepted.  

It is each sub's responsibility to keep a copy of their TB clearance for their records.

Credential / Sub Permit:

To check the expiration date of your credential or sub permit:

1. Visit the Commission on Teacher Credentialing website
2. Click on “Search for an Educator”
3. Click on “Secured Search”
4. Type your social security number (format: xxxxxxxxx) and date of birth (format: xx/xx/xxxx) then click the “Search” box
5. You are now viewing your CTC credential/permit information.

To renew your credential or sub permit, log into your Commission on Teacher Credentialing account and complete the renewal application process. 

If you're unsure of your username or password, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing offers a "Renew Your Document" help section on their website.

Education Code 49406 and Health and Safety Code § 121525 requires public school employees to be free of infectious tuberculosis (TB). TB clearance is due upon registering on the county-wide substitute list, reactivating on the county-wide substitute list, or every four years. 

We encourage you to keep a copy of your TB clearance, as we are unable to provide a copy. Your TB clearance expires four years from the first of the month that you obtained the clearance. For example, if your TB clearance expires on April 1^st, the updated TB clearance is due no later than March 31^st.  

The Credentials Analyst sends a reminder email about a month in advance, but we also recommend adding a reminder to your calendar upon receiving your TB clearance from your healthcare provider.   

The updated TB clearance can be mailed or dropped off at the office. For security reasons, we do not accept emailed documents. 

Clear credentials are valid for 5 years and Emergency 30-Day Substitute Teaching permits are valid for 1 year. The Commission on Teacher Credentialing emails three reminders to you. The Credentials Analyst emails a reminder approximately a month prior to your document expiring.  

To check the expiration date of your credential or sub permit:

1. Visit the Commission on Teacher Credentialing website
2. Click on “Search for an Educator”
3. Click on “Secured Search”
4. Type your social security number (format: xxxxxxxxx) and date of birth (format: xx/xx/xxxx) then click on the word “Search”.
5. You are now viewing your CTC credential/permit information.

One is able to renew their document up to 364 days in advance of their document expiring. To renew your document, you will need to log into your account. To login and view a refresher on how to renew, visit the Renew Your Document page on the Commission on Teacher Credentialing's website.

The cost is $102.65, and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing accepts Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, or Discover. Once your application is submitted, your renewal will be granted within 14 business days. After the credential/permit is granted, you will receive an email from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

If you're experiencing difficulty logging into your account, please visit the Commission on Teacher Credentialing's help page.

The Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) offers a variety of resources:

• The Educator Account Help Page on their website offers assistance with creating your account, updating your information, document help, and application status.
• They also offer a frequently asked questions section located at this link.
• CTC may be contacted via this web form.

The AESOP (or Frontline) administrator is located at your employing district.

Frontline may send you reminder emails about your sub permit or credential expiring. Additionally, some districts may set your credential or sub permit expiration date to June 30^th, when the credential or sub permit expires after this date, as June 30^th is the last day of the school year. 

It is your responsibility to connect with your employing school district to have them update your information. District contact information is available in the "Sub Rate Sheet / Registering with the Districts (Employers)" tab.     

Frontline is used by a variety of districts within the county. If you register with a district that utilizes Frontline, you will receive a welcome document by email or mail. This document includes your pin number, which you'll need to provide if accepting a sub job through the automated calling system.

Immediately after the district creates your profile in Frontline, you should receive an email on how to create your online account. The link expires within the hour, so it's imperative to create your account as soon as possible.  

Frontline is available on your desktop browser (Chrome or Edge) or as a free app. We recommend using the free app and make sure your cell phone settings are configured to receive notifications.

Here are links to Frontline's substitute resources:

• Substitute Resources Homepage - A great place to start! This page offers six links to a variety of resources. We've hyperlinked the resources below:
  • Substitute QuickStart Guide
  • Substitute Basic Training Video
  • Substitute Advanced Training Video
  • A Phone Call from Absence Management
  • Choosing Preferred Schools
  • Changing or Recovering a Substitute PIN

The below list includes support documents and videos on various tech topics for Androids, PC's, and Apple/Mac products. You may also access the resources in this Google Doc.

• Samsung Galaxy: https://www.samsung.com/us/support/
  • Connect to the Internet: How to Connect to Wifi On ANY Samsung Galaxy Smartphone
  • Connect to Bluetooth: Connect your Galaxy device to Bluetooth | Samsung US
  • Scan a QR code: How to scan a QR code on your Galaxy phone | Samsung US 
• LG:
  • Connect to the Internet: Turning Wi-Fi on and connecting to a Wi-Fi network
  • Connect to Bluetooth: https://www.lg.com/us/mobile-phones/VS450PP/Userguide/069.html
  • Scan a QR code: LG Camera - Qlens | LG USA Support
• Motorola:
  • Connect to the Internet: Set up Wifi
  • Connect to Bluetooth: Using Bluetooth| Motorola Support US
  • Scan a QR code: How to Scan QR Codes via Motorola Smartphone? Get Address from QR in Few Second
• Pixel:
  • Connect to the Internet: Pixel 9/Pro/XL: How to Connect to WiFi Internet Network
  • Connect to Bluetooth: Connect to Bluetooth on your Pixel phone
  • Scan a QR code: Scan a QR code

• Connect to the Internet: Connect iPhone to the internet - Apple Support
• Connect to Bluetooth: Connect iPhone to Bluetooth
• Scan a QR code: Scan a QR code with your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support
• Apple Classes at Corte Madera Apple Store: Today at Apple - Calendar - Corte Madera 

• Connect to the Internet: Connect to a Wi-Fi network in Windows - Microsoft Support
• Connect to Bluetooth: Pair a Bluetooth device in Windows - Microsoft Support 

• Connect to the Internet: Connect to the the internet with your Mac - Apple Support
• Connect to Bluetooth: Connect to a Bluetooth device
• Apple Classes at Corte Madera Apple Store: Today at Apple - Calendar - Corte Madera

Here you'll find answers to frequently asked questions. 

If you were deactivated from the county-wide substitute list, you are required to complete and submit the requirements provided in the "How to Become a Sub" tab.

More than likely you will not need to re-live scan, but there are some instances of substitutes needing to re-live scan.