Want to become a teacher? Rapides School Board might have the program for you
The Rapides Parish School Board is trying to make it easier to attract people to teaching, passing a motion Tuesday to create a program open to anyone with a college degree.
All nine board members approved the Rapides Alternative Temporary Authority to Teach, which will allow anyone with a college degree to begin teaching. It's an issue that concerns Superintendent Jeff Powell because, as of Tuesday afternoon, 82 positions remain open for the 2022-23 school year that starts next month.
That's about double the open positions the district looked to fill at the same time last year, he said.
If someone is accepted into the program, they would earn a teacher's salary. Powell said a beginning teacher's compensation package — salary and benefits — is approximately $70,000.
The district will provide financial assistance for that employee to get a teaching certificate. That includes reimbursements for an exam in that process, called PRAXIS, and "potentially" up to 50% for an approved teacher certification program in the state.
The initial PRAXIS test has been a barrier for many potential teachers, said Powell.
"If they don't pass the initial PRAXIS test, they cannot get into one of the approved programs," he said.
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And without getting into such a program, the district can't offer a certificate to teach. He called this proposal a precursor to earning a certificate.
In exchange, those who sign up must be eligible for a program by the end of the year. Those who become certified must agree to teach in Rapides Parish for three years, said Powell.
"We feel like this is gonna open the door for many people who may not be able to consider becoming a teacher at, say, a substitute teacher pay or without the benefits of being a full-time employee," he said.
Those in the program will be assigned mentors at their schools for help in everything from passing the PRAXIS to getting into certification programs and more. The mentors would earn a supplement, said Powell.
If the district begins the school year on Aug. 8 with teacher vacancies, principals will turn to substitute teachers. Substitutes filled some teaching positions all last year, he said.
The superintendent called it an "investment." The motion originally called for hiring up to 30 teachers through the program, but member Linda Burgess offered a substitute motion on Powell's recommendation to hire as many as possible with available funds through two federal programs.
In other action, the board also unanimously approved a change to its employee conduct policy that prohibits employees from discussing gender identity issues with students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: With 82 vacancies, Rapides School Board OKs program for new teachers
