Local schools have more teachers who lack full certification this year

Aug. 21—Local school systems began classes this month with dozens of teachers who have only emergency certification, but local administrators said those teachers are helping ease a temporary teacher shortage and must be working to obtain full certification.

Most of those with emergency certificates have at least bachelor's degrees but not teaching degrees. The State Board of Education relaxed requirements effective July 12 so those aspiring educators could begin teaching for the first time even if they hadn't passed the Praxis teacher test but could meet alternative criteria. The Praxis test isn't required for career tech teachers.

Alabama State Department of Education spokesman Michael Sibley said the change was made to address the ongoing teacher shortage in the state. The changes from the state school board last only through the 2023-24 school year.

Cliff Booth, Morgan County Schools' human resources director, said his district has around 10 people teaching who currently have emergency or temporary certificates while on the path to becoming fully certified.

"We do have some that are taking alternate approaches and the state has made it much easier for us to do that," Booth said.

Booth said emergency certificates can only be used once in the educator's entire career and they are valid only for two years.

"After that, they have to start the process of getting an alternate certificate," Booth said.

Except for career tech teachers, Booth said non-certified individuals taking alternate routes must have at least a bachelor's degree in the field they want to teach, like "those who have an engineering degree could come and teach math."

"Most people in career tech fields don't have bachelor's degrees so those people will go through a modified certification without a bachelor's degree," Booth said.

Booth said non-certified teachers with a temporary certificate get paid on the same salary scale as certified teachers but they have to eventually obtain complete certification.

"They can't just say, 'Well, I'm going to come in here and teach.' They have to get that certification," Booth said.

Susie Ellison, spokeswoman for the Alabama Education Association, said the changes to teacher certifications will help ensure more teachers are where they are needed.

"There are safeguards in place to ensure teachers are equipped for the classroom such as teacher observation methods, teacher mentoring programs, and professional development opportunities which are also available from AEA," Ellison said.

Yvette Evans, deputy superintendent of instruction and personnel for Decatur City Schools, said she has 715 certified teachers in her district, including 48 who have emergency or temporary certificates and are seeking complete certification through an alternative pathway.

"We have some people who are on emergency certificates, we have some who are on career tech temporary certificates, special education temporary certificates, and interim employment certificates," Evans said. "Some do have education experience like if they were in an aide position before and they worked in the classroom under a certified teacher."

Evans said she has eight teachers who have special education temporary certificates. She said there is a special education shortage in the district and the state changes have helped them fill in the gaps in that area by allowing those individuals to begin teaching before they reach full certification.

"To obtain the temporary license, they have to take five core courses from the same university that has been approved to offer those courses," Evans said. "After they finished the requirements, they will have a special education temporary certification for grades 6 through 12."

Evans said the requirements non-certified teachers must pass to earn a professional certificate are the same "as if they had gone to school to be a teacher."

Non-certified teachers are assigned mentors as part of the Alabama Teacher Mentor Program to help acclimate them to their classrooms and schools. Mentors in the program get paid a $500 stipend per semester by the state.

Booth said the state has also made it easier for retired teachers who have let their certificates expire to come back into the classroom and teach.

"Before, they would have had to start all over just like a brand-new teacher," Booth said. "If their certificate was not valid, they had to go through the whole entire process, but now all they have to do is a background check and fill out a one-page form and the state will issue their certificate back."

— wesley.tomlinson@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438.