Substitute teachers play a key role in supporting student learning by providing quality instruction when the regular classroom teacher is unavailable.

To be eligible, applicants must hold a current NDE teaching certificate or a state substitute certificate.

Local Substitute Teachers support student learning by providing quality instruction when the regular classroom teacher is unavailable—just like substitute teachers. The main difference lies in the type of permit held and the associated restrictions.

Requirements for the Local Substitute Permit:

• Complete an application and pay the fee through the TEACH system (The Educator Application and Certification Hub).
  (Note: Registration with TEACH is required before submitting your application.)
• Provide fingerprints (only if you have lived outside Nebraska in the past five years).
• Submit a transcript showing at least 60 semester credit hours.
• Complete Human Relations Training.

Important Information:

• The Local Substitute Permit allows teaching for up to 90 full-time days per school year.
• The permit expires on August 31st of the third year after issuance.

For more details on obtaining a Local Substitute Permit, please visit the Nebraska Department of Education website.

Substitute Paraprofessionals support classroom teachers by assisting with daily instructional activities and student needs. Their responsibilities are guided by the classroom teacher to help ensure students receive consistent, high-quality instruction in the paraprofessional’s absence.

If you have any questions related to substitute teaching, the Sub Desk is here to help!

Email: subdesk@ops.org
Phone: (531) 299-0309

The Sub Desk is available Monday through Friday, from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, excluding holidays. Reaching out by email is often the quickest way to get a response.

If you're unable to log in to Frontline, please make sure you're using your OPS credentials and follow the correct steps:

How to Access Frontline:

1. Go to the OPS website: www.ops.org
2. Click on "Staff Sign In."
3. Do not enter a username or password on this page. Instead, click "OPS Staff Sign In."
4. On the next page, log in using your OPS email and password (be sure to include @ops.org in your email).
5. Once signed in, click on the Frontline link or title to access the system.
6. When Frontline is open, Skip entering a username and password.
7.  Click on "Sign In With Organization SSO."
8. Use your OPS credentials (with @ops.org) to sign in through the organization's portal.

Using the Frontline Direct Website or Frontline App?

• Open the app and Skip entering a username or password.
• Click on "Sign In With Organization SSO."
• Use your OPS credentials (with @ops.org) to sign in through the organization's portal.

If you still experience issues with your OPS credentials, feel free to contact the Help Desk (531.299.0300) for assistance.

Substitutes are paid on the 15th of each month for all days worked during the previous month. If the 15th falls on a weekend, payday will be the Friday before.

If you have any questions or concerns about your paycheck, please contact the Sub Desk.

The Sub Desk team will work directly with the Payroll Office to help resolve any issues or make necessary adjustments.

You can sub as often as you'd like—there’s no set limit for most substitutes!
However, there are a few important exceptions:

• Local Substitute Teachers can only work up to 90 days per school year.
• Recently retired employees can work up to 8 days per month during the first 180 days after retirement.

To stay active in the system, we recommend working at least 10 days per school year.
If you can't meet that, please contact the Sub Desk so we can keep your account active.
If you go a full year without subbing and don’t contact us, your status will change to inactive.

No — substitute teachers cannot take on additional duties such as coaching, tutoring, or any other roles outside of their assigned substitute teaching job.

This rule is based on Nebraska Statute 79-978(40), which defines a substitute employee as someone hired only to temporarily cover for a staff member who is absent.

If you’re listed as a daily substitute, you’re only allowed to do the job assigned to you through Frontline.
Please do not accept or be assigned any other duties.

When schools are closed due to weather or other reasons, any substitute jobs scheduled in Frontline will be automatically canceled. Substitutes are not paid for days when schools are closed.

Typically, substitutes do not work on remote learning days or non-student days (like teacher planning days or holidays).

However, if you're in a long-term assignment, your Principal may ask you to work on one of these days. If that happens, please let the Sub Desk know so you can be paid correctly.

Yes! Frontline will notify you in one or more of the following ways:

• Email — Sent to your OPS email account.
• Important Alerts — Posted on the Frontline homepage when you log in.
• Phone Call — Only if you have the calling system turned on in your Frontline settings.

To make sure you don’t miss a cancellation, check that your contact preferences in Frontline are up to date!

If you're still getting calls from Frontline, it means the school hasn't officially entered your assignment into the system yet.

To fix this, please contact the Sub Desk as soon as possible so they can update your assignment in Frontline. Once it's entered correctly, the calls will stop.

Teachers aren’t able to assign substitutes directly in Frontline.

If a teacher has asked you to sub and you’ve agreed, the school administrator or the Sub Desk will need to enter the assignment in the system for you.

Be sure to confirm with the school so the job can be officially assigned to you in Frontline!

You can cancel a job in Frontline up to 6 hours before the job starts.

If it’s less than 24 hours before the start time, please:

1. Call the Sub Desk right away at (531) 299-0309 and leave a message.
2. Call the school to let them know you've canceled.

These lines are available 24/7, so don’t hesitate to call—the sooner we know, the better we can find a replacement.

Thank you for being courteous and professional when canceling!