Republicans will encourage innovation and expect
results. One way we can do this is to revamp our procedures for
alternative teacher licensure. Alternative teaching licenses allow an
individual with several years of experience in a profession other than
teaching to enter the teaching field. For example, allowing a retired
engineer to teach high school math and science classes.
Tennessee currently has a procedure in place that
allows this. However, it takes around 18 months to complete and it can be
quite costly to the prospective teacher. Quite honestly, one could be
forgiven for thinking this seems set up to prevent alternative teacher
licensure. No one is suggesting there should not be oversight, or even a
credentialing process, but we shouldn’t set up huge obstacles either.
Take for example, a
retired engineer. That engineer could go into one of our rural
schools and teach Advanced Placement Mathematics and Science. These
challenging, college-level courses are taught in high schools. And there
is a strong correlation between the availability of these classes and
achievement on college entrance exams like the ACT.
Unfortunately, these classes aren’t available in
many rural parts of our state. Alternative teacher licensure is one way,
among others, that we can increase the availability of these classes for
our students, especially from rural areas, and provide a rewarding second
career for qualified professionals. That’s win-win thinking.
