Whereas, rigorous research consistently demonstrates that there is little or no correlation between university-based teacher certification and teacher effectiveness;REF
Whereas, differences in teacher effectiveness within the groups of “traditionally certified,” “alternatively certified,” and “uncertified” are large, and that these within-group differences are “roughly five times as large as the difference between the average certified teacher and the average uncertified teacher”;REF
Whereas, reliance on certification through university-based colleges of education has been identified as one of the least effective methods for assessing teaching capability;
Whereas, the lack of efficacy of teacher certification has been documented since the 1950s;REF
Whereas, the seminal report “A Nation at Risk” (1983) found that teacher certification programs overemphasize “courses in educational methods at the expense of courses in subjects to be taught”;
Whereas, about 20 percent of new teachers are entering the teaching profession through alternative certification programs;REF however, a study found that “about a third of the [alternative certification] programs for elementary teachers required at least 30 hours of education school courses—the same amount needed for a master’s degree.” The study reiterated that these programs have “merely re-ordered the traditional teacher-prep sequence without altering its substance, allowing candidates to take this burdensome course loan while teaching instead of before”;REF
Whereas, the Praxis teacher licensure exam is a poor predictor of teacher quality;REF
Whereas, many school districts report difficulty filling teacher vacancies, in part due to prospective teachers not having the proper credentials;
Whereas, licensure requirements for areas of specialization can “limit a teacher’s scope of practice” and “restrict intra-state mobility”;REF
Whereas, traditional licensure routes can be time-consuming, requiring years of schooling in addition to the years spent obtaining a bachelor’s degree;
Whereas, additional years in higher education can cost tens of thousands of dollars;
Whereas, some countries, such as Finland and South Korea, recruit teachers from the top third or better of their academic cohorts, just 23 percent of teachers in U.S. schools come from the top third of their academic cohorts. Half of new teachers come from the bottom third of college classes in the U.S.;REF
Whereas, colleges of education tend to have low admissions standards;REF
Whereas, qualified and knowledgeable military veterans can increase the educational value for students in the classroom;REF
Whereas, military veterans bring valuable skills, such as the ability to manage pressurized environments and effectively engage in teamwork, which translates seamlessly into educational settings;REF
Whereas, colleges of education function as incubators for translating radical academic theories into K–12 teaching methods, with future educators honing their skills within university-based schools of education;REF
Whereas, these colleges are preparing future teachers to use critical frameworks under the influence of prominent thinkers with the “intent [of] transforming the nation to a collectivist, utopian vision”;REF
Whereas, states such as Arizona and Florida have relaxed bachelor’s degree requirements for teaching in certain instances, moving toward apprenticeship-like models. In Arizona, individuals can train to become teachers without holding a degree, and in Florida, those with prior military service may receive a five-year teaching certificate. Additionally, a local principal in Arizona notes that teachers prepared outside traditional programs are often “much more pliable” and “open and willing to try new things” to better meet the needs of diverse student populations;REF and
Whereas, a recent report from the Brookings Institution highlights the potential of a strong apprenticeship system to increase earnings, provide a return on investment, and improve employee retention for employers.REF
Section 1. Certification requirements.
- Each person seeking certification pursuant to this section shall submit a completed application containing the applicant’s Social Security number and the required documents demonstrating at least one of items A(B)(a)-(h) to the state department of education.
- To obtain a conditional teaching license, a candidate must provide one of the following:
- A teaching certificate issued by [this state];
- A valid/current teaching certificate issued by another state;
- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification;
- A bachelor’s degree in the subject matter in which the applicant wants to be certified, issued by a postsecondary institution;
- A bachelor’s degree with a minor in the subject matter in which the applicant wants to be certified, issued by a postsecondary institution;
- An associate’s degree in the subject matter in which the applicant wants to be certified, issued by a junior college or community college;
- At least [X] years of employment in a professional field; or
- A completed teaching apprenticeship at an elementary or secondary school.
- and
- Have passed a criminal background check.
Section 2. License renewal
- The state department of education may renew a conditional license contingent on [X] number of [ranking] performance reviews from the supervisor at the school with which the candidate established a contract. The [state board of education or state superintendent of education] shall adopt a set of standards for teaching effectiveness to determine the processes used for assisting, developing, and evaluating teacher candidates, as well as teachers employed under this section.
- For teaching certificates awarded under Section (1)(A)(d)-(h) of this bill:
- The [state board of education or state superintendent of education] may establish rules for statewide in-service training, not to exceed three (3) working days per year.
- Local education agencies (LEAs) shall establish teacher-to-teacher mentoring programs to include but not limited to in-class observations and review of student performance.
- Before signing a standard teaching contract, teacher candidates must earn a passing score on a standardized test, such as Praxis, [this state] subject-matter test for teachers, or other assessment as determined by the [state board of education or state superintendent of education], or achieve National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification unless
- The candidate has a score placing him or her in the 80th percentile or above of test takers on the SAT, the ACT, the Classic Learning Test, or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or
- The candidate has [X] years of professional experience in a field requiring use of the candidate’s subject matter knowledge, or
- The candidate has earned [X] number of consecutive performance reviews of [ranking] or higher, or
- The candidate participates in a teaching mentorship program established by [state board of education or the state superintendent of education].
Section 3. Definitions
- Candidate: An individual applying for a conditional or standard teaching contract.
- Teaching apprenticeship: A training model designed to assist individuals who do not have a traditional teacher certificate to participate in the teaching workforce. The state board of education shall establish rules for the apprenticeship, including duration and job responsibilities, not to exceed [X] semesters of teaching.
- Conditional contract: A voluntary, binding agreement between a public education employer and an employee containing terms of employment for a duration not longer than [X] years.
- Standard contract: A voluntary, binding agreement between a public education employer and an employee containing terms of employment.
