How to Become a Substitute Teacher in Denver Public School Districts & Charter Schools
- Dec 22, 2025
- 5 min read
Substitute teaching is one of the rare education jobs where you can dial your schedule up or down without leaving the profession.
Substitute teaching in Denver is unusual in a good way: there isn’t “one” substitute pool. The metro area is a patchwork of districts (Jeffco, Cherry Creek, Adams 12, etc.), plus charter networks that may hire separately. The fastest mental model is a two-layer funnel:
Layer 1 (State): get the right Colorado credential (sub authorization or teaching license).
Layer 2 (Employer): apply to each district (or vendors like ESS and HelloSubs) and complete their hiring steps.
Colorado substitute teacher baseline: the credential most districts require
Colorado issues three substitute authorizations (1-year, 3-year, 5-year).
Think of these like “access passes” with different minimum prerequisites:
1-year authorization: high school diploma (or equivalent) and successful experience working with children.
3-year authorization: bachelor’s degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited college/university.
5-year authorization: typically tied to already holding a teaching license (many districts treat it as the “licensed-tier” substitute credential).
Across licenses/authorizations, districts commonly point back to CDE’s standard items like CDE-specific fingerprints, official transcripts, and proof of lawful presence.
Denver-area substitute teacher applications and job requirements (district-by-district)
District / Program | Apply now | Typical requirements |
Jeffco Public Schools (Jefferson County) | CDE license or sub authorization required; CDE fingerprints + transcripts + lawful presence; application must include references. | |
Cherry Creek School District (CCSD) | For certified substitutes: upload CDE license/sub authorization (CCSD notes it is currently only accepting 5-year sub authorizations); 3 professional references; CCSD fingerprinting required. | |
Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) | Must hold Colorado teaching license or CDE substitute authorization; complete hiring steps including background checks/fingerprinting/I-9; orientation required. | |
Adams 12 Five Star Schools | Must possess or be able to obtain a valid Colorado educator license or a substitute authorization (per their substitute services application portal). | |
School District 27J | Apply through the district’s substitute hiring page (district-specific steps + role options live on their page). | |
Littleton Public Schools (via ESS) | For substitute teachers: Bachelor’s + Colorado 3- or 5-year sub authorization (or CO teaching license); CBI/FBI checks noted by ESS. | |
Mapleton Public Schools (via ESS) | 3- or 5-year sub authorization or CO teaching license; 1-year considered case-by-case; HS diploma/GED; criminal history clearance. | |
Sheridan School District No. 2 (via ESS) | District states it partners with ESS to manage its substitute program. | |
Denver Public Schools (DPS) | DPS directs applicants to its Guest Teacher info/FAQ; use DPS’s instructions to confirm the exact credential tier + steps for the current hiring cycle. |
How to become a substitute teacher at Jeffco Public Schools
Jeffco makes the “state-first” approach explicit: you’ll need a CDE-issued license or substitute authorization, and they point to standard CDE items like CDE fingerprints, official transcripts, and lawful presence proof. Then you apply on Jeffco’s job board for the Guest Teacher posting and include professional references.
How to become a substitute teacher at Cherry Creek School District
Cherry Creek routes everything through its career site: go to the CCSD career portal, search “Substitute,” apply, and be ready to upload your CDE credential. CCSD is unusually strict right now for certified substitutes: they state they’re currently only accepting 5-year substitute authorizations (or other listed CDE license types), require three professional references, and require fingerprinting with CCSD.
How to become a substitute teacher at Boulder Valley School District
BVSD’s substitute page is a clean checklist: confirm you have a Colorado teaching license or CDE substitute authorization, apply through BVSD’s careers site, and complete district hiring steps (they call out items like background checks/fingerprinting and I-9 verification). BVSD also requires attending a substitute orientation before you’re fully activated.
How to become a substitute teacher at Adams 12 Five Star Schools
Adams 12’s substitute postings run through their application portal. Their substitute services page indicates you must possess or be able to obtain a valid Colorado educator license or a substitute authorization—so if you’re not already authorized, start the CDE authorization process in parallel while you complete the district application.
How to become a substitute teacher at School District 27J
27J centralizes substitute guidance on its own “Substitute Teaching & Staff” page. The practical move is to use that page as your source of truth for the current roles they’re hiring for, the system they use, and the exact application path (then search “Substitute” within their postings if prompted).
How to become a substitute teacher at Littleton Public Schools
Littleton runs substitutes through ESS, and ESS spells out a common Colorado pattern: for substitute teacher roles, expect Bachelor’s + a Colorado 3- or 5-year substitute authorization (or a Colorado teaching license), plus background checks (ESS references state and federal checks). Apply through the ESS program page and follow their licensing + clearance workflow.
How to become a substitute teacher at Mapleton Public Schools
Mapleton’s substitute services page (also via ESS) is specific about qualifications: 3- or 5-year authorization (or CO teaching license); 1-year considered case-by-case; HS diploma/GED; and a criminal history clearance. If you’re earlier in your career, that “1-year case-by-case” clause can be a real lever—apply, but expect tighter screening.
How to become a substitute teacher at Sheridan School District No. 2
Sheridan states that ESS manages its substitute program and encourages applicants to apply through ESS, after which an ESS representative follows up for next steps. If you want Sheridan specifically, treat ESS as the front door and the district as the placement destination.
How to become a substitute teacher at Denver Public Schools
DPS uses a “Guest Teacher” pathway and publishes a central Guest Teacher page plus a detailed FAQ. The most reliable way to avoid missing a DPS-specific step is: start on the DPS Guest Teacher page, then follow their FAQ for the exact credential tier, deadlines, and onboarding sequence for the current cycle.
Charter schools in Denver: what to expect for substitute teachers
Charters typically follow one of two models:
In-district charters that still pull from a district substitute/guest-teacher pool (you apply once, then accept assignments across many schools).
Independent charter networks that hire substitutes directly (you apply to the network’s careers page, often campus-by-campus).
In practice, your Colorado authorization is still the limiting reagent for most classroom substitute roles, because districts explicitly require a CDE credential and reference CDE’s baseline items (fingerprints/transcripts/lawful presence).
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If you want a simpler way to access great substitute teacher jobs across the Denver area, you can apply once through SubstituteTeacher.com. With one application, you can be considered for roles in public schools, charter schools, and early childhood education (ECE) programs around Denver — from last-minute daily coverage to longer-term placements. Apply when you’re ready, and you’ll be in a strong position to pick up the best-fit substitute teacher jobs in Denver as they open.
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