English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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How to substitute teach in Washington DC without a degree
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
You 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 experience working with students in a classroom. Count the credits you already have, close any gap with courses that reach a college transcript, and ask DCPS in writing first.
What DCPS asks for instead of a degree
The DCPS substitute page says applicants must have completed 60 college credit hours or more in lieu of a conferred degree. That is about two years of full-time college, the same as most associate degrees.
The rule sets a count, not a subject. Any completed college credit on a transcript adds to the total.
| Requirement | DCPS rule |
|---|---|
| Education | 60 completed college credit hours, or a degree |
| Experience | 1-2 years with students in a classroom |
| Work status | Authorized to work in the US |
| Interview | Recorded VidCruiter interview with a mock lesson |
Step 1: count what you have
Many people who left college have more credit than they remember. Ask every college you attended for an unofficial transcript and add up the completed credit hours. Courses with a failing grade or a withdrawal do not add to the total.
If you studied outside the United States, DCPS asks for an evaluation showing your study equals 60 US college credits or more. Order it early, as evaluations take time.
- Community college or university courses
- Dual enrollment from high school
- Military training already posted by a college
- Study abroad, once evaluated
Step 2: close the gap
If you are short, work out how many credits you need. At UDC Community College, DC residents pay $117 per credit hour plus $430 in fees each term on the schedule labelled Summer 2025, so 15 credits come to about $2,185 for one term.
Another route is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses that a college then posts on its transcript. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Ask DCPS in writing whether it would count credits posted that way before you enrol.
Step 3: build the classroom experience
DCPS also asks for 1-2 years of experience working with students in a classroom setting. Credits alone are not enough. Work as a teaching assistant, tutor in a school programme, or volunteer in classrooms while you study, and keep a record of dates and duties.
If you want early childhood assignments, DCPS asks for that experience in an early childhood classroom.
Step 4: apply and prepare for the interview
Apply through the DCPS job postings. The process includes a one-way recorded interview on VidCruiter with a mock lesson, so practise a short lesson in a subject you know well. Once selected, you receive onboarding steps, including a transcript showing the 60 credits.
After you start, plan to work at least 2 full days or 4 half days a month to stay active in the pool.
Courses that help in the classroom
If you need more credits anyway, choose ones that help you teach. Educational Psychology explains how students learn. English Composition builds the writing every lesson plan needs. Introduction to Sociology covers schools, families and communities.
These also fit most associate and bachelor's degrees, so they stay useful if you later move toward a full teaching licence.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
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.
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.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Can I substitute teach in DC with an associate degree?
An associate degree usually means about 60 completed credits, which meets the DCPS count. DCPS asks for 60 completed college credit hours in lieu of a conferred degree, plus 1-2 years with students in a classroom, so check your transcript total and your experience.
Can I substitute teach in DC with a high school diploma only?
Not at DCPS. Its substitute page asks for 60 completed college credit hours or a degree. Some charter or private schools may set different rules, so read each employer's posting and ask its hiring office in writing.
How long does it take to earn 60 college credits?
Full time, about two years. If you already have some credit, the gap may take a term or two. At two courses a month on UPI Study PRO, 15 credits take about three months, plus the time a college needs to post the credit.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Educational Psychology
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 Sociology
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 →Start 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.