New Jersey removes basic literacy test requirement for teachers amid shortage

[Karah]

A MAJOR CHANGE FOR ASPIRING TEACHERS IN NEW JERSEY: STARTING THIS YEAR, THE STATE IS NO LONGER REQUIRING CANDIDATES TO PASS A BASIC SKILLS TEST IN READING, WRITING, AND MATH TO BECOME A  CERTIFIED TEACHER. THIS CHANGE COMES AS PART OF A NEW LAW AIMED AT ADDRESSING A TEACHER SHORTAGE IMPACTING SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE.

BUT NEW JERSEY ISN’T ALONE. THIS SHIFT IS PART OF A GROWING TREND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WITH STATES IMPLEMENTING NEW RULES AND RELAXED REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE UP FOR A TEACHER EXODUS AND SHORTAGE.

UNDER ACT 1669, SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY, NEW JERSEY HAS REMOVED THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE PRAXIS CORE EXAM, WHICH TESTED BASIC SKILLS IN READING, WRITING, AND MATH. THIS CHANGE, WHICH TOOK EFFECT JANUARY 1ST, IS DESIGNED TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS FOR TEACHER CERTIFICATION AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR MORE PEOPLE TO ENTER THE PROFESSION. 

THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION SUPPORTED THE REMOVAL OF THE TEACHER LITERACY TEST,SAYING THE EXAM HAS BEEN “A BARRIER” FOR ASPIRING TEACHERS.

THE MOVE RECEIVED CRITICISM ONLINE –

LIKE ELON MUSK POSTING ON X “So teachers don’t need to know how to read in New Jersey? Seems like that would make it challenging to teach kids how to read.”

WHILE THE NEW LAW DOES REMOVE A BASIC LITERACY EXAM –

ASPIRING TEACHERS IN THE STATE ARE STILL REQUIRED TO MEET OTHER QUALIFICATIONS –

SUCH AS HOLDING A BACHELOR’S DEGREE AND PASSING SPECIALIZED TESTS IN THEIR SUBJECT AREAS.

BUT NEW JERSEY’S NEW THRESHOLDS REFLECT A BIGGER TREND HAPPENING NATIONWIDE –

SOME STATES ARE LOWERING CERTIFICATION STANDARDS AND FINDING NEW WAYS TO BRING TEACHERS INTO THE CLASSROOM FASTER – 

IN AN EFFORT TO COMBAT A TEACHER SHORTAGE.

THERE ARE nearly 600 THOUSAND fewer teachers in U.S. classrooms today than before the pandemic ACCORDING TO “THE HECHINGER REPORT.”

AND A TEACHER ADVOCACY GROUP “TEACHERS OF TOMORROW” SAYS ANOTHER 270 THOUSAND POSITIONS ARE CURRENTLY FILLED “BY UNDERQUALIFIED TEACHERS.” 

IT’S AN ISSUE THAT IS GROWING DUE TO TEACHER FATIGUE AND TURNOVER.

A GALLUP SURVEY FOUND TEACHERS HAVE THE HIGHEST BURNOUT RATE AMONG ALL INDUSTRIES.

similar changes have been made IN OTHER STATES to help address the growing demand for educators.

CALIFORNIA ENACTED AN EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE ORDER TO ALLOW PARENTS TO BECOME SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS BY MEETING TWO REQUIREMENTS: HAVE A DEGREE IN ANY FIELD AND PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK.

WASHINGTON, TEXAS, AND PENNSYLVANIA HAVE SIMILAR “EMERGENCY TEACHER CERTIFICATION” PROTOCOLS. 

ARIZONA PASSED A MEASURE THAT ALLOWS EDUCATORS TO BEGIN TEACHING BEFORE GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE.

NEW YORK AND NORTH CAROLINA WERE SOME OF THE FIRST STATES TO STOP REQUIRING THE LITERACY TEST FOR TEACHERS – 

ALTHOUGH MORE THAN 40 STATES STILL REQUIRE THE EXAM JUST NIXED BY NEW JERSEY.

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANNOUNCED LAST YEAR A 5-YEAR PLAN TO IMPROVE TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

HOWEVER – THE FUTURE OF THAT PLAN IS UNCERTAIN WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP DISCUSSING WAYS TO REFORM THE ENTIRE SYSTEM – STARTING WITH THE DISMANTLING OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.