Missouri program aims to address teacher shortage

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kelly Education, an Education Workforce Solutions company, announced Wednesday that it is now approved as a vendor by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to provide substitute teacher training.

The program aims to address Missouri’s teacher shortage and support schools with qualified substitute educators.

The State of Missouri requires that individuals with less than 36 hours of college credits complete a 20-hour state-approved training course to qualify for a substitute certificate.

Kelly Education’s goal is to offer effective and convenient training so potential applicants, such as retired non-certified school personnel, parents, healthcare professionals, and other community members, can begin making an impact in the classroom.

Kelly Education’s online training includes 20 hours of curriculum and is offered at a reduced cost.

Training modules range from basic instructional strategies to specialized practices for teaching children with autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities.

Missouri’s teacher shortage report, released earlier this year, identified five critical teacher shortage areas, including elementary, early childhood and early childhood special education.

Other high-need areas in the teacher shortage report include math and science for grades 5-9, high school math, physics, biology and chemistry.

Kelly Education is one of three vendors approved by the state to provide substitute teacher training.

You can also complete the 20-hour training through Frontline Education and approved Missouri colleges and universities.

Substitute teacher pay varies by district and also depends on the type of certificate you earn.

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