A recent study conducted by Texas Tech University found a link between students taught by non-certified teachers and learning gaps. According to the study, “students with new, non-certified teachers lose about four months of learning time in reading and three months in math.” This means that non-certified teachers with no teaching experience are more likely to set students back in the learning process than teachers with college degrees and certified training.
The ongoing teacher shortage—and yes, there is one—is forcing schools to look to unconventional fields for teachers. And thanks to the Every Student Succeeds Act, which Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed into law in 2015, states are no longer required to hire “highly qualified” teachers to receive federal education funding.
But there are still requirements for teaching, albeit less rigorous than a typical path. According to Tim Regal of the Texas Education Agency, one must have completed “two years of higher education, generally equivalent to 48 credit hours; an associate’s degree (or higher); or knowledge and skills to assist in teaching reading or reading readiness, writing or writing readiness, and mathematics or mathematics readiness, as demonstrated by a formal state or local assessment…” In other words, if someone passes a formal assessment, that person can teach a class.
In an investigative article published last year The Dallas Morning News identified who those uncertified teachers might be. They might be “transitioning from the corporate world or the military into another career. Others may have worked as teachers in other states and did not want to apply for Texas certification when they moved here. Others could be recent graduates drawn to classrooms because of the much-discussed news of teacher shortages. Their level of training could be very different.” That’s all well and good, since those who want to get into classrooms mean well, but if the data is any indication of the quality of uncertified teachers, something needs to change.
In addition, schools in rural areas are four times more likely to hire unqualified teachers than schools in urban and suburban areas. They made up 80% of new hires in 40 districts across Texas, according to the Texas Tech study.
These are shocking findings from Texas Tech research on the subject. The blame for these findings lies squarely with Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature. During the 88th regular session and the four special sessions that followed, this problem could have been addressed by adequately funding education, but that did not happen.
In fact, the only way more money would have been available for public education would have been if lawmakers had implemented a school voucher program. The two issues were linked in a bill introduced by Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Killeen), but it was defeated in the fourth special session.
Holding public education funding and teacher pay raises hostage to a school voucher program was the wrong move. Because teachers were treated like a bartering tool in this silly game of poker, it left them feeling despondent and despair. So much so that 65% of respondents to a recent Texas State Teachers Association poll nearly quit late last year, and more than half of respondents said Texas leaders did not have a favorable opinion of them.
When the majority of teachers feel disrespected by state leadership and feel that they are not supported by leadership, something has to happen. As the school year begins, there are numerous schools that have budgeted for a deficit for the year and are persistently looking elsewhere for teachers.
We should not think that this was an unintended consequence, because if there is no rain on cotton plantations, cotton yields will be low. Without adequate funding, schools would be forced to do more with less. This means hiring less qualified and/or uncertified teachers. As a result, students miss out on a huge amount of learning at crucial times in their lives.
As schools scramble to do the best for their students, Governor Abbott will be determined to get lawmakers to pass a school voucher program in January 2025. He will cite recent results like that of Texas Tech University as a reason parents don’t have to “feel trapped” in a “failing school” and will be praised in conservative circles for his commitment. When in reality, he could be a sensible leader and address this problem now rather than perpetuating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Drew Landry is an assistant professor of government at South Plains College in the Lubbock area.
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