Most of the new teachers hired at Dallas ISD this school year did not have official certification.
Teachers without official certification at Texas schools have bachelor’s degrees in fields other than education, passed a criminal background check, but do not have certification from the State Board for Educator Certification. These teachers have not finished teacher coursework, do not have an education degree, have no prior clinical teaching experience, and are not certified in another state.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2020, the number of newly hired uncertified teachers in Texas was relatively low.
In the 2018-2019 school year, 12.3% of new teacher hires in Texas were uncertified. uncertifiedOnly 3.13% of new Dallas ISD teachers for the same school year were uncertified, according to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Since then, the number of uncertified teachers working in Dallas classrooms has gone up.
In the 2021-2022 school year, 5.17% of new Dallas ISD teachers were uncertified. One school year later, that percentage increased to 37.1%. The number continued to rise, reaching 38.8% for the 2023-2024 school year.
The number of uncertified new teachers statewide has also continued to rise, increasing from 19.4% of new teachers in the 2021-2022 school year to 29.5% in 2022-2023, and then 34.6% in 2023-2024.
To provide context, 40 out of 1,275 new teachers hired in Dallas ISD in 2018-2019 had no certification, while 619 out of 1,596 new teachers hired in 2023-2024 were entering the classroom without certification.
Opting out of traditional certification paths may be appealing to future educators and school districts. It allows a new teacher to bypass years of education and schooling costs. Similarly, school districts save taxpayer money by hiring uncertified teachers as they come at a lower cost than accredited and experienced teachers.
Still, TEA pointed out that hiring uncertified teachers may help address short-term needs but has led to retention challenges. Teachers are leaving the profession in higher numbers than ever before. A report published by TEA indicates that the attrition rate in Texas between the fall of 2021 and the fall of 2022 rose to a historic high of 13.4%. study Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath stated that he believed a lack of teacher preparedness was to blame. Many uncertified teachers quit, in some cases even before the end of the year, Morath explained at an April State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting.
“Some districts are saying, ‘You have a heartbeat, come on in.’ That’s not producing good results,” Morath said at the meeting. meeting covered by The Dallas Express.
A TEA study presented to the board showed that if uncertified teachers had the same retention rate in their first five years as teachers who underwent traditional certification programs, local school districts would need to hire 7,735 fewer teachers annually.
In 2015, Texas allowed schools to relax teacher certification requirements under a program called Districts of Innovation. By becoming a District of Innovation, a school district has the flexibility to loosen teacher certification requirements and hire uncertified teachers to teach certain subjects. In 2016, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees started working towards becoming a District of Innovation. It was eventually approved in February 2022.
However, following Morath’s presentation, SBOE board members started to have doubts about the requirements for teacher certification. “If we make the certification process harder, the quality of teachers would be higher, but there would be fewer people. How can we make the certification rigorous and still ensure we have enough teachers?” inquired SBOE Member Will Hickman (R-Houston).(R-Houston) asked.
Shortly after the SBOE session ended, the board approved a year-long program for new teachers called a residency program. This program allows aspiring teachers to work with experienced teachers before they have their own classrooms.
Completing the residency program will lead to a certification that indicates the completion of the course. This makes Texas the first state to recognize such a teacher residency certification. “This is an important step in helping our new teachers get the proper training to be ready for the classroom. It comes after years of collaboration with various groups across the state,” said Jean Streepey, chair of the State Board for Education Certification, in a press release about the new program. “Teachers have the biggest impact on student outcomes in schools, so it's crucial to support new teachers in their first years to improve both teacher retention and student performance,” added Jonathan Feinstein, the Texas state director for The Education Trust, praising the State Board of Education for taking action.
Residency programs will open to aspiring Texas educators in September 2024. Those interested can find more details on TEA’s website. Most newly hired teachers at Dallas ISD this school year were uncertified. Uncertified teachers in Texas schools have bachelor’s degrees in fields other than education, have passed a criminal background check, but do not have certification from the State Board for Educator Certification. These teachers have not completed teacher coursework.. This program lets aspiring teachers work alongside more experienced teachers before they take on their own classrooms.
Completing the residency program will result in a certification that notes the completion of the course, making Texas the first state to recognize such a teacher residency certification.
“This marks a critical step in supporting our newest teachers with the quality preparation needed to be classroom ready, resulting from years of work with stakeholders across the state,” said Jean Streepey, chair of the State Board for Education Certification, in a press release announcing the new program. “Teachers are the number one in-school factor affecting student outcomes, and supporting teachers in their first years is critical to improving both teacher retention and student performance.”
“We applaud the State Board of Education for taking urgently needed action to help every aspiring teacher receive the hands-on training and support they deserve to meet the needs of Texas students who cannot afford to lose precious learning time,” added Jonathan Feinstein, the Texas state director for The Education Trust.
Residency programs will be available to aspiring Texas educators in September 2024. Those interested in participating can find more information on TEA’s website.
