School districts turn to waivers, programs amid teacher shortage

IT’S AN ISSUE WE’VE BEEN MONITORING FOR A WHILE NOW — MASSIVE TEACHER SHORTAGES AT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE’RE NOW STARTING TO SEE NEW WAYS THESE DISTRICTS ARE TRYING TO COUNTER THE SHORTAGES.

THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS APPLYING FOR A STATE WAIVER THAT WOULD ALLOW IT TO HIRE HUNDREDS OF UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS.

UNDER TEXAS STATE LAW — TEACHERS MUST HAVE A BACHELOR’S DEGREE, COMPLETE AN EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM, PASS THE APPROPRIATE CERTIFICATION EXAMS AND APPLY TO BE CERTIFIED BY THE STATE.

HOWEVER — A WAIVER ALLOWS DISTRICTS TO HIRE TEACHERS WITH NO CERTIFICATION — TEACHING EXPERIENCE — OR EDUCATION DEGREE.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE DISTRICT SAID QUOTE — “WE KNOW WE ARE GOING TO STRUGGLE TO FIND CERTIFIED TEACHERS TO FILL THOSE GAPS, SO WE ARE STARTING A PROCESS TO FIND FULL-TIME TEACHERS WHO DO NOT HAVE CERTIFICATION BUT DO HAVE DEGREES, TO ENSURE PARENTS HAVE WHAT THEY DESERVE FOR THEIR CHILDREN: A FULL-TIME DEDICATED TEACHER IN EVERY CLASSROOM.”

THE DISTRICT STARTED LAST SCHOOL YEAR WITH MORE THAN 600 TEACHING VACANCIES.

WHILE IT HASN’T RELEASED AN EXACT NUMBER OF VACANCIES FOR THIS YEAR — THE DISTRICT DID SAY IT HAS FEWER OPENINGS THAN IT DID AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON — THERE’S A GROWING RELIANCE ON A PROGRAM AIMED GIVING THOSE ALREADY WORKING IN SCHOOL SETTINGS A CHANCE TO EARN AN EDUCATION DEGREE AT A LOW COST.

THIS INCLUDES CLASSROOM AIDES, LUNCHROOM WORKERS — AFTERSCHOOL STAFF — CUSTODIANS — AND BUS DRIVERS.

THE PROGRAM’S “APPRENTICESHIP DEGREE” MODEL COSTS 75 DOLLARS A MONTH.

CLASSES ARE ONLINE — TAUGHT BY AWARD-WINNING TEACHERS.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT TAKE PART MUST AGREE TO HAVE TEACHING PROSPECTS WORK IN THE CLASSROOM 15 HOURS A WEEK AS A PART OF TRAINING.

IN THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS — THE PROGRAM HAS GROWN FROM 50 APPLICANTS TO ABOUT A THOUSAND.

MOST OF THE APPLICANTS COME FROM RURAL AREAS OF LOUISIANA — ARKANSAS — ALABAMA AND CALIFORNIA.