OSTA History

The following has been accomplished through volunteer efforts of substitute teachers like yourself working for their profession.  Please support OSTA, with your membership, input, and leadership!

1971- Legislature: Retirement benefits for substitute teachers 

             working 600 hours per year.

1972 - TSPC: 180 days substitute teaching renews most teaching licenses.

1973 – Legislature: Salary $34 (with OEA).

1975 – OSTA founded. First annual statewide conference.

1975 — Legislature: Salary set at 75% of average beginning teacher ($40)

1975 — Informational brochures—PERS, Licensure, Increasing Your Demand, Should We Work during a Teacher Strike?

1976 — Bargaining rights for substitute teachers (Eugene- OEA)

1976 – Group Health Insurance later dropped for lack of participation.

1977 — Legislature: After ten days in an assignment, salary is 100% of beginning teacher in that district.

1978 — Letter to schools asking for lesson plans, sub folders.

1979 – Legislature: Half-day minimum salary.

1986 – Letter to school principals suggesting a surprise teacher exchange to promote the importance of lesson plans.

1988—Mentoring network.

1991—Legislature: Hours over half day will be considered a whole day.

1993—Legislature: Successfully opposed effort by PERS to discontinue benefit for multi-district teachers.

1994—OSTA Video and Seal.  OSTA Name tags.

1995—Legislature: Salary is 80% of beginning teacher ($103.55)

1995—Explored becoming unionized. OSTA reaffirmed its independence.  

1996—Unemployment: How the system works for a substitute teacher.

1997—TSPC: Successfully opposed effort to require continuing professional development of substitute teachers.

1997—Legislature: Salary is 85% of beginning teacher ($113.51).

1997—PERS: Worked unsuccessfully to restore PERS “pick-up” for substitutes.

1997—Worked on Handbook for Substitute Teachers.

1998—PERS:  Those who work less in some months, but always make the 600 hrs. will not be dropped.

1999—Legislature:  Salary after ten days in an assignment will not go down if district beginning salary is less.

1999—Legislature:  Granted exemption to privacy laws, allowing us to obtain lists of substitute teachers.

2000—Continued efforts to reach all substitute teachers through bulk mailing.

2000—Letter to Human Resources Directors asking them to consider hiring more substitute teachers full time.

2000 –OSTA sent representatives to Washington, D.C. to help establish National Substitute Teacher Alliance.

2001 – Began Oregon Substitute Teacher Appreciation Day- with Governors’ Proclamations.

2001 – Began Oregon Substitute Teacher of the Year program.

2001—Legislature:  Due Process–not set in law, but Administrators said they would ask districts to set up policies

             for communicating with teachers when they are blocked from a school or district. 

2001—TSPC: Opposed Restricted Substitute Teaching License, testified at hearings.

2003—Legislature: Opposed a bill to allow retirees to work more and take jobs subs need to maintain teaching licenses.

2004—TSPC: Opposed repeal of experience requirement for renewal; again opposed requirement of PDU’s for substitutes, many of whom are retired teachers.

2006—OSTA Website – www.ostasubs.org 

2009—Legislature: Asked legislators to address the possibility of false accusations in a school sexual conduct bill.

2011 and 2013—Legislature: Successfully blocked a bill that would have repealed that substitutes be paid the wages for eight hours (full day) or a minimum half day.

2015—TSPC: Long-term substitute teaching will count toward the teaching requirement for the Professional License.

2015—Legislature:  One hour added to the daily minimum salary for substitutes working in Four-Day schools.

2018—PERS:  Asked that benefits be restored for those substitutes outsourced to staffing agencies agencies.

2019—BOLI: Wage Claims for Annual Training and Orientation requirements state-wide - A WIN!

2020-House Bill 3130 born: With Legislative concept: ALL Substitute Teachers are employees of the School District that are working in.

2021-Public Hearing HB3130: Across the state support and 8 House Representative Support, OEA Support and Local union support

2021- SB311: Substitute Teachers as hourly employees! This bill did not move forward, sadly, it died in committee.