English Composition 1
The writing course nearly every degree starts with.
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →District of ColumbiaTeachers
The 60 college credits for a Washington DC substitute teacher job
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
To be a DC substitute teacher with DC Public Schools you need 60 completed college credit hours or more in lieu of a conferred degree, plus 1-2 years of experience working with students in a classroom. DCPS asks for a transcript showing the 60 credits. UPI Study courses count only via a college transcript, so ask DCPS in writing first.
The rule
Under the DCPS substitute teacher requirements, K-12 and early childhood substitutes must have completed 60 college credit hours or more in lieu of a conferred degree and have 1-2 years of experience working with students in a classroom setting.
The rule asks for 60 completed college credit hours, in lieu of a degree. The legal source is DCPS substitute teacher requirements.
| Requirement | What DCPS asks for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Education | 60 completed college credit hours or more in lieu of a conferred degree | [1] |
| Experience (K-12) | 1-2 years working with students in a classroom setting | [1] |
| Experience (ECE) | 1-2 years in an early childhood education classroom | [1] |
| Foreign transcripts | Evaluated as equal to 60 US college credits or more | [1] |
| Pay (K-12 and ECE) | $20 an hour; $160 a full day; $80 a half day | [1] |
| Staying active | 2 full-day or 4 half-day assignments a month | [1] |
Who decides
District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), Substitute Teacher Program decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- Completed college credit hours shown on a college transcript
- Credits in any subject; DCPS sets a count, not a major
- Foreign study, once evaluated as equal to 60 US credits
- Outside credit only once a college has posted it on its own transcript
What does not count
- Courses in progress that are not yet completed
- Course certificates on their own, without a college transcript
- Credits DCPS has not confirmed it will count
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), Substitute Teacher Program.
English Composition 2
The second writing course in most general education plans.
Self-paced online English Composition 2 course (ENG 102). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Educational Psychology
How students learn; directly useful in a classroom.
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
A common social science course for future teachers.
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
College Algebra
Covers the maths requirement in most associate degrees.
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Sociology
Schools, families and communities; a common general education course.
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Count your completed creditsGather every college transcript and add up the completed credit hours. Foreign study needs an evaluation first.
- Ask DCPS in writingAsk the Substitute Teacher Program whether credits posted on a partner college's transcript would count toward the 60 before you enrol.
- Use a college that posts outside creditTESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; the credit reaches DCPS only via a college transcript.
- Build classroom experienceDCPS also asks for 1-2 years with students in a classroom, so line up that experience while you study.
- Apply with the transcript readyApply through the DCPS job postings and have a transcript showing the 60 credits ready for onboarding.
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; check their own transfer pages, then ask DCPS whether it would count that college's transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| UDC Community College (DC resident) | $117 per credit hour plus $430 in fees per term | 15 credits: $1,755 tuition plus $430 fees, about $2,185 for one term | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning | $99 a month | General education courses for $99 a month, then a college transcript step | 15 Nov 2026 |
UDC credits sit on a UDC transcript with no extra step. Outside credit costs less per course but needs a college to post it first. UDC's fee page is labelled Summer 2025; check the current term.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; our courses carry ACE or NCCRS recommendations, and a college decides whether to put them on its transcript.
- We cannot say DCPS will count credit that started with us; DCPS decides what it counts.
- Our courses do not give you the 1-2 years of classroom experience DCPS also asks for.
- DC charter schools and private schools set their own substitute rules.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Confirm in writing first
Ask the DCPS Substitute Teacher Program in writing whether credits posted on a partner college's transcript would count toward its 60-credit requirement before you enrol.
DC substitute teacher requirements at DCPS
DC Public Schools runs its own Substitute Teacher Program. Its page sets the education bar at 60 completed college credit hours or more in lieu of a conferred degree. A bachelor's degree also meets it, but you do not need one.
The word that matters is completed. Courses in progress do not count toward the 60. Once you are selected, DCPS sends onboarding steps that include a transcript showing you meet the minimum.
DCPS also asks for 1-2 years of experience working with students in a classroom setting. Early childhood substitutes need that experience in an early childhood classroom. All applicants must be authorized to work in the US.
DC substitute teacher pay and staying active
The DCPS page lists K-12 and early childhood substitute pay at $20 an hour, $160 for a full day or $80 for a half day. After 30 consecutive full days in one assignment the long-term rate is $25 an hour, or $200 a full day.
To stay in the pool, K-12 substitutes must work 2 full-day or 4 half-day assignments each month. Plan for that if you are also studying to finish your credits.
DCPS, charter schools and private schools
The 60-credit rule is DCPS's own. DC public charter schools hire their own substitutes and set their own requirements, and private schools do the same. If you plan to work across several school types, check each employer's posting.
The DCPS rule is a useful target either way. Meeting it opens the largest substitute pool in the city and leaves you on the way to an associate degree.
- DCPS: 60 completed credits in lieu of a degree
- Charter schools: each sets its own rules
- Private schools: each sets its own rules
Questions people ask
How many college credits do you need to be a substitute teacher in DC?
DC Public Schools asks for 60 completed college credit hours or more in lieu of a conferred degree. Credits in any subject count toward the total, as long as they are completed and shown on a college transcript you can provide at onboarding.
Do you need a degree to substitute teach in DC?
Not for DCPS. Its substitute page accepts 60 completed college credit hours in lieu of a conferred degree, along with 1-2 years of experience working with students in a classroom. Charter and private schools set their own rules, so check each posting.
How much do DC substitute teachers make?
The DCPS page lists $20 an hour for K-12 and early childhood substitutes, which is $160 for a full day or $80 for a half day. The long-term rate after 30 consecutive full days is $25 an hour, or $200 a full day.
How do I apply to be a DCPS substitute teacher?
Apply through the DCPS job postings linked on its substitute page. Applicants complete a one-way recorded interview on VidCruiter that includes a mock lesson. Once selected, you receive onboarding steps, including a transcript showing the 60 completed credits.
Do online credits count toward the DCPS 60 credits?
DCPS asks for completed college credit hours on a transcript and does not mention format. Online courses taken at a college fit that wording. Credit from UPI Study would first need a college to post it, so ask DCPS in writing before you enrol.
Do foreign college credits count for DCPS substitutes?
They can. DCPS says candidates with transcripts from institutions outside the United States must have those studies evaluated to show their preparation equals 60 college credits or more in the US. Arrange the evaluation before you apply.
Read next
- How to substitute teach in Washington DC without a degreeYou can substitute teach for DC Public Schools without a degree if you have completed 60 college credit hours or more and have 1-2 years of...
- Does transfer credit count toward the Washington DC substitute credit rule?DCPS asks for 60 completed college credit hours shown on a transcript. Transfer credit that a college has posted on its own transcript fits that...
The same topic in nearby states
Ready when you have it in writing
Ask DCPS in writing first, then start with English Composition and Educational Psychology.
Sources
- DCPS: Substitute teachers (official)60 completed college credit hours or more in lieu of a conferred degree; 1-2 years of experience with students in a classroom (early childhood classroom for ECE); foreign transcripts must be evaluated as equal to 60 US credits; US work authorization; $20 an hour, $160 a full day; 2 full-day or 4 half-day assignments a month to stay active; recorded VidCruiter interview with a mock lesson. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- University of the District of Columbia Community College: Fee schedule (official)DC resident tuition $117 per credit hour plus $430 in student fees per term (schedule labelled Summer 2025). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- UDC Community College: Fee schedulePrice for UDC Community College (DC resident), checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Sophia Learning: Plans and pricingPrice for Sophia Learning, checked on 15 Nov 2026.