Office of Personnel
Temporary Services

FAQS FOR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS

1. What is a substitute teacher?
In the absence of the regular classroom teacher, substitute teachers assume responsibility for implementing the day’s lesson and providing the school with the opportunity to continue a quality educational program.
2. How can I become a substitute teacher for Baltimore County Public Schools?
Complete the Substitute Teacher Application online at https://www.bcps.org/apps/hiring/. Select "Substitute Teacher" from the list of positions for which you can apply at the top of the application. 

Print the confirmation page that you receive upon successful completion of the Substitute Teacher Application and follow the steps on the confirmation page to complete the application process. 
3. How much do you pay substitutes? 
Effective January 21, 2010, the pay rate for degreed substitutes is $84.58 per day and $114.78 per day for a long term assignment. The non-degreed rate is $66.45 per day and $84.58 per day for a long term assignment. "Long term" means 10 consecutive days or longer in the same assignment without interruption of service. 
4. When are substitutes paid?
Pay checks are issued every two weeks, two weeks after the close of the pay period, in which the substitute worked. Checks are mailed directly to the substitute’s home.
5. How do the schools know that I am available?
A profile is created for all new substitute teachers from the application submitted. Once the substitute registers with SFE, he/she will be available to accept positions. As absences and vacancies are created by teachers or school personnel, the SFE automated system calls substitutes whose profile matches the needs indicated. Once hired by the Office of Temporary Services, you can visit schools that you are interested in working for to inform the administrative office that you are available and request to be placed on the school’s priority list. 
6. Who will contact me about jobs? 
SFE, SmartFindExpress, is an automated calling system. SFE will contact you when your profile matches the needs of an assignment. Also, schools may contact you to pre-arrange assignments.
7. Do new substitute teachers have to register in order to use SFE?
Yes. Any substitute teacher who has not registered with SFE must call (410) 427-3031 and wait to be prompted to register as a new user. Substitute teachers will be directed to create a personal identification number (PIN). Directions are found under Quick Reference Brochures received by every substitute.
8. Do substitute teachers have to register every time they call in?
No. Substitute teachers only have to register once.
9. How do substitute teachers access SFE?
SFE can be accessed by telephone at (410) 427-3031 and the internet at sems.bcps.org. Substitute teachers must enter their access ID (which is your seven digit home phone number without the area code) and their PIN for both platforms.
10. How can substitute teachers receive their Personal Identification Number (PIN) if they have forgotten it?
Substitute teachers who have forgotten their PIN must call the Office of Temporary Services at (410) 887-8954 to have their PIN reset. Once the Pin is reset, substitute teachers must call (410) 427-3031 to recreate a new PIN. Directions are found under Quick Reference Brochures received by every substitute. The brochures can be found on the Temporary Services web site at /offices/personnel/temporary_services/
11. Can substitute teachers change their PIN?
Yes. Access the system at (410) 427-3031 with the current access ID and PIN. Follow the prompts to change your PIN.
12. If substitute teachers change their permanent phone number, should their access ID change?
Yes. Substitute teachers will need to complete a Change of Name and Address Form available on the payroll web site at www.bcps.org/offices/payroll/forms/. Once the change has been recorded by the school system, substitute teachers will need to contact the Office of Temporary Services to begin using their new access ID.
13. How specific can substitute teachers be in specifying their profile for SFE so that they are only called by particular schools and/or for particular classroom/teacher assignments?
Substitute teachers can restrict their assignments to particular schools and/or subject areas.
14. If substitute teachers only want to sub near their home, will they have to go wherever assigned?
No. Substitutes may identify the schools or areas in which they wish to work.
15. Can schools request specific substitute teachers to be called first in filling a position?
Yes. Schools may create a preferred list with or without a classification.
16. What is a preferred list with a classification?
A preferred list with a classification is created by schools and determines the order that substitutes are called for particular assignments at that school. This list considers the subject/class being covered. Each substitute is assigned a number. Substitutes with the lower numbers are called first.
17. What is a preferred list without a classification?
A preferred list without a classification is created by schools and identifies substitutes that may work in any subject area assignment at the school. Substitutes from this list will be called after the school’s preferred list with a classification has been reviewed for possible candidates.
18. When substitute teachers call in to listen to available jobs, will substitutes hear the name of the teacher?
The job information will include the teacher’s name or state “vacancy”, work location, subject area, job start and end time, and any special instructions the teacher/school chooses to record.
19. Will call intercept or a telephone number zapper affect SFE?
Yes. This technology may interfere with the substitute teacher’s ability to receive calls from SFE.
20. If a substitute teacher declines a job offer, what happens?
Substitutes may decline three jobs within the morning call period. After declining the third job, the system will stop calling until the next call period. Substitute teachers are not removed from the eligibility list.
21. What happens when SFE receives an answering machine?
SFE will hang up when it does not receive a response to its prompt.
22. Can substitute teachers accept jobs in areas other than those indicated on their profile?
No. Substitutes can call the system to hear open jobs for which the substitute is eligible. Substitutes are eligible for areas entered in their profile. Substitutes can contact the SFE help desk at (410) 887-8954 to modify their profile Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. through 4:45 p.m.
23. If more than one SFE user has the same home phone number, is their access ID the same?
No. The first SFE user’s access ID will be the permanent telephone number without the area code. The second SFE user’s access ID will have a zero added to the end of the permanent telephone number without the area code.
24. Can substitute teachers give more than one callback phone number—home and cell?
No. Only one telephone number can be recorded at one time as the callback number. Substitute teachers may change that number as often as they wish.
25. How far in advance can teachers request a substitute?
Substitute jobs can be created up to ninety (90) days in advance.
26. When will substitute teachers be called?
SFE begins calling at 5:30 a.m. for that day’s jobs and will continue to call to fill an assignment until that assignment is 50% complete. Future jobs are called between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Call out times are indicated on your Quick Reference Card.
27. Can substitutes determine the time they wish to start receiving calls in the morning?
Yes. SFE has a do not disturb feature which directs the system not to call until a time specified by the substitute. Directions are found under Quick Reference Brochures received by every substitute.
28. What is a job number?
A job number is provided when a job has been successfully created by an employee/school. It serves as confirmation for successful entry by the employee/school and acceptance of a job by the substitute.
29. If assignments are prearranged with substitute teachers and are entered in the SFE by the employee/school, how do substitute teachers get a job number?
To obtain the job number, substitute teachers need to call SFE and review their current assignments. The assignment entered by the employee/school will be among the assignments they hear.
30. Will all assignments have the same job number?
No. Every new assignment reported receives its own job number.
31. Are long term assignments filled through SFE?
No. Long term assignments will be arranged by the school principal through the Office of Temporary Services. Once the candidate is identified by the school principal, the assignment will be entered in SFE.
32. What is the maximum length of a work day for substitute teachers?
The maximum length of a work day is 7 hours which includes a 30 minute duty free lunch. Substitute teachers are expected to be in the building 15 minutes before the assignment start time and 15 minutes after the assignment end time. Assignment times may vary depending on the needs of the job.
33. Are substitutes expected to perform cafeteria duty, lunch duty, and related assignments that are part of the absent teacher’s assignment?
Yes. Substitute teachers are expected to perform all the duties that were assigned to the absent teacher. Schools may also ask substitute teachers to perform other instructional related assignments beyond the absent teacher’s assigned duties.
34. Who do substitute teachers call with questions regarding the system?
Call the Office of Temporary Services (SFE Help Desk) at (410) 887-8954.