One reality has emerged from years of student testing: Achievement levels won’t rise, at least in any meaningful way, without serious innovation.
And since we already know what the status quo yields, Douglas County schools’ proposal to bring more non-traditional teachers into the classroom sounds not only intriguing but promising.
But first, the school district must crack through the teachers union and the bureaucracy, which may not be easy.
The Douglas County School District entered into initial discussions with the state last week about creating its own licensing program for teachers, to more quickly hire non-traditional instructors. The district wants to offer a “technical professional license” to workers in hard-to-fill teaching positions. The five-year license would carry as much weight as a traditional teaching license, yet would require the state to waive certain regulations.
The growing district says it needs more non-traditional teachers for its new Castle View High School, which will support four academies, including a school for engineering and world languages.
The state already offers an alternative route for professionals who want to become teachers, but Douglas County’s superintendent says it doesn’t cover all subject areas.
“We can’t license an Arabic teacher” through the state’s program, said Jim Christensen, district superintendent.
Douglas County’s idea raises the question of “local control,” and who is ultimately responsible for education.
The state controls teacher licensing to control quality, but if local districts are responsible for achievement, shouldn’t they accept some of the responsibility for who’s in the classrooms?
The Colorado Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, opposes the plan. It’s concerned that the assumption behind the proposal is that anyone can be a teacher.
Not everyone can be a teacher. However, it’s also true that more than just traditionally trained teachers have something to offer students, particularly those in hard-to-staff subject areas, such as engineering.
To boost student achievement, more districts – and the teachers’ union – should put innovation ahead of bureaucracy’s regulations.
