This handbook presents findings of a 2-year study that examined the role of the substitute teacher. Findings showed that the problems with substitute-teacher programs were a result of nonmanagement rather than mismanagement. The book offers recommendations for designing, implementing, and maintaining quality substitute-teacher programs. The first four chapters provide suggestions for conducting a needs-assessment study; defining the key players and their roles; developing a reference manual for substitutes and regular teachers; and conducting workshops for administrators, nonteaching staff, regular teachers, and substitute teachers. Recommendations are offered in the fifth chapter: (1) improve recruitment and selection practices; (2) provide professional-development training to substitute teachers, regular teachers, and principals; (3) conduct routine evaluations of substitutes and provide meaningful feedback; (4) create a current comprehensive database of all substitutes in the district; (5) treat substitutes as professionals; (6) implement management strategies that help teachers make productive use of instructional time; (7) provide pertinent information to substitutes prior to their assignments and notify them of their assignments as early as possible; (8) improve employment benefits to substitute teachers; and (9) hire a designated number of permanent substitute teachers for each campus. Contains sample forms (a report to the regular teacher, campus information for the substitute, a workshop-evaluation form), and a 15-item annotated bibliography. (LMI)