Texas schools are increasingly relying on uncertified teachers to fill vacancies amid a severe teacher shortage. However, state lawmakers are now looking to address this issue with new legislation aimed at restricting who can teach in Texas classrooms. The Texas House’s school funding bill seeks to reduce the number of unprepared and uncertified teachers in schools, but district leaders are concerned this could leave them struggling to fill teaching positions.
The bill, House Bill 2, is part of a $7.6 billion school finance package, which includes provisions that would limit which classes uncertified teachers can lead. The bill gives school districts until fall 2026 to certify K-5 math and reading teachers, and until fall 2027 to certify teachers in other academic subjects.
Supporting Uncertified Teachers
While the bill would prohibit uncertified teachers from instructing core classes in public schools, it also provides financial support to help these teachers become certified. Under HB 2, teachers who participate in an in-school training and mentoring program will receive a one-time $10,000 payment, while those who complete traditional university or alternative certification programs will receive $3,000. Special education and emergent bilingual teachers will have their certification fees waived.
Experts in educator training believe that this could be the largest financial investment in teacher preparation that Texas has made in recent years. However, while school leaders agree with the intentions behind the bill, they fear that the proposed restrictions may not provide enough time for districts to meet certification deadlines. Moreover, they worry that the bill does not address the root cause of the teacher shortage.
“What’s going to happen when we’re no longer able to hire uncertified teachers? Class sizes have to go up, programs have to disappear… We won’t have a choice,” said David Vroonland, director of the education research group LEARN and a former superintendent. “There will be negative consequences if we don’t put in place serious recruitment efforts.”
A Growing Teacher Shortage
The teacher shortage in Texas has been a persistent problem for years, and the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated the issue. Many teachers left the profession during the pandemic, and the state’s teaching salary, which is about $9,000 less than the national average, has made the profession less attractive to potential educators.
As fewer people pursue teaching careers, school districts have been forced to hire uncertified teachers to fill the gap. Last year, roughly 38% of newly hired teachers were uncertified, with a significant concentration in rural areas.
In response to this issue, the Texas Legislature passed a law in 2015 allowing public schools to apply for exemptions from certification requirements. This law allowed districts to hire uncertified teachers by submitting a “district of innovation” plan that demonstrated they were struggling to meet credentialing requirements due to the teacher shortage.
By 2018, more than 600 districts across the state had obtained exemptions. However, new research from Texas Tech University has highlighted the negative impact of uncertified teachers on student learning. According to the research, students taught by uncertified teachers lost approximately four months of reading progress and three months of math progress compared to students with certified teachers.
The Impact on Students and Teachers
Research has also shown that uncertified teachers are more likely to leave the profession after a short period, contributing to school instability. Kate Greer, policy director at Commit Partnership, a nonprofit organization focused on improving education, emphasized the need for urgent action to address the rising number of uncertified teachers in classrooms.
“The state should act urgently on how to address the number of uncertified teachers in classrooms,” said Greer. “The bill rightfully addresses a long-standing issue in the state.”
Financial Barriers to Certification
While HB 2 offers financial assistance to help uncertified teachers get certified, the costs associated with teacher certification remain a significant barrier. Rep. Jeff Leach, a Republican from Plano, shared his own experience with the high cost of certification, noting that his wife, an uncertified art teacher, had to pay $5,000 out of pocket to become certified.
Many educators face similar financial challenges, making it difficult for them to pursue certification. Under HB 2, districts would receive funding based on the quality of the certification programs they offer. Schools that provide yearlong teacher residencies, which are widely regarded as the best way to prepare teachers, would receive more financial support.
Despite these efforts, lawmakers are placing a significant burden on districts to meet the certification deadline. Over 35,000 uncertified teachers in Texas must become certified by 2027, or they will be replaced by certified teachers. This poses a daunting challenge for many schools, particularly in rural areas.
Rural Schools Are Hit Hardest
Rural schools in Texas are feeling the effects of the teacher shortage more acutely than urban schools. Gilbert Trevino, the superintendent of Floydada Collegiate ISD, located in a rural farming town in West Texas, explained how his district has increasingly relied on uncertified teachers in recent years. The district recruits locally and has a program that helps high school students pursue teaching careers, but the restrictions in HB 2 make it difficult for them to recruit new teachers.
Trevino said that if the bill passes, his district could face increased class sizes and additional burdens on existing teachers. “If we hire a teacher straight out of Texas Tech University, we may have them for a year, and then they may move to a larger district where there’s more of a social life,” Trevino said.
He also pointed out that the Grown Your Own Teacher program, which takes at least three years to train teachers, is unlikely to be enough to replace uncertified teachers in the short term.
The Challenges Ahead
School leaders, especially in rural districts, are worried about the impact of HB 2 on their ability to recruit and retain teachers. As district leaders face increasing pressure to fill vacancies, they are concerned that restrictions on hiring uncertified teachers will exacerbate the teacher shortage and lead to larger class sizes.
Cameron Wiley, a school board trustee for Wylie ISD, one of the fastest-growing districts in the state, echoed these concerns. He believes that while the restrictions may be well-intentioned, they could make it even harder to find teachers. “It limits the pot of people that’s already small to a smaller pot. That’s just going to make it more difficult to recruit,” Wiley said.
Ultimately, school districts are calling for a more comprehensive approach to addressing the teacher shortage, one that prioritizes recruitment efforts and offers better support for educators. Without addressing the underlying issues, leaders warn, Texas schools could face even greater challenges in the years to come.
Disclaimer – Our team has carefully fact-checked this article to make sure it’s accurate and free from any misinformation. We’re dedicated to keeping our content honest and reliable for our readers.