The Dallas, Texas school system is the latest to allow teachers without certifications. The move follows Alabama administrators who hire educators with emergency certifications, often in low-income and majority-Black neighborhoods. Other states are doing likewise, Oklahoma has an "adjunct" program allows schools to hire applicants without teacher training. In Florida, military veterans without a bachelor's degree can teach for up to five years using temporary certificates. Decisions to put a teacher without traditional training in charge of a classroom involve weighing tradeoffs: Is it better to hire uncertified candidates, even if they aren't fully prepared, or instruct children in classes that are crowded or led by substitutes? A Southern Regional Education Board analysis of 2019-20 data in 11 states found roughly 4% of teachers were uncertified or teaching with an emergency certification. In addition, 10% were teaching out of field, which means, for example, they may be certified to teach high school English but assigned to a middle school math class.
Dallas follows Alabama’s lead on hiring less qualified teachers
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