In some school districts, more new teachers have emergency permits than have traditional certifications.
As Pennsylvania continues to look for solutions to the nationwide teacher shortage, a state representative has proposed a bill that could mean more teachers returning to classrooms.
State Rep. Tarah Probst, a Democrat serving part of Monroe and Pike counties, along with fellow Democrat Reps. Lisa A. Borowski, Paul Friel and Jim Prokopiak, has introduced legislation to assist those who have an inactive certification but want to teach.
“We want to do everything we can to make sure that our kids have enough teachers in the classroom,” Probst said.
In Pennsylvania, the number of teachers certified by the state has declined about 70% over the last decade. A co-sponsorship memo sent to state legislators points to the decline in new certifications and the increase in emergency permits.
A school district can seek an emergency permit if “no fully qualified and properly certificated applicant is available,” according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The person must have a bachelor’s degree in education or another field. A permit allows the individual to serve in a vacant position as a long-term or day-to-day substitute through the end of the school year.
For example, the Scranton School District hired 124 teachers for this school year. Of those, 54 have traditional certifications, and 70 are working under emergency certificates.
Of the 70, many of the teachers are returning to the district for another year as they work toward obtaining their Level I teaching certificate, according to the district.
The state has sought multiple ways to increase the number of new teachers. Student teachers can now apply for state-funded stipends, and colleges have created programs to attract younger students.
The legislators say the cost of higher education is an obstacle to people who wish to pursue the profession. Some inactive educators have approached the legislators out of concern that the cost is too high to return, according to the memo. Act 48 requires teachers to pursue ongoing professional development throughout their careers.
“That means there is room for us to assist those who have an inactive certification but still have a passion to return to the classroom,” the memo states.
The legislation would allow those who wish to return to teaching the option of earning six college credits at a free or reduced cost to help meet Act 48 requirements.
“We're trying to do everything we can to make it affordable to go to school, to be a teacher and an educator,” Probst said. “There could be scenarios where a lot of people would love to get back into teaching, but they can't afford to go back to school. Helping them be able to get there financially will just help the Commonwealth fill the pipeline with teachers.”
Read more from our partners, WVIA.
