To combat the years-long teacher shortage, South Carolina lawmakers have passed a law ending the requirement for teachers to have a teaching certificate in a five-year pilot program.
The bill, initially proposed several years ago, was unanimously passed by the General Assembly in May. Under the new law, educators without a teaching certificate must have at least a bachelor’s degree and five years of experience in the subject they intend to teach. Not only does this ensure that the teachers are qualified in their subject, but the law also requires non-certified teachers to enroll in a state-approved educator certification program within three years of being hired, which helps improve overall teaching quality. Additionally, schools can only fill up to 10% of their teaching positions through this program. All teachers in this program will receive the same training and evaluations as certified teachers to maintain educator quality, and districts are not required to participate in the program.
It’s no secret that South Carolina has been struggling to find teachers for several years. Despite some salary increases and other efforts to incentivize new teachers, many rural and underperforming schools struggle with fewer teachers and larger class sizes.
*via InformEd SC*
“We are trying to look at any strategy that will get qualified people into the teacher workforce pipeline,” State Legislator Greg Hembree told Live5News. The program looks to create an easier pathway for already qualified candidates to enter the teaching world.
While many supporters argue that the strict eligibility requirements will ensure educator quality, many critics claim that teachers need actual teaching experience, not just subject expertise, to be effective. Additionally, some critics argue the eligibility requirements are too strict, and the number of educators gained through the program will be marginal.
Others cite concerns over past failures across the country: Texas, Utah, and Oklahoma have all introduced non-certified educator programs in the past, before swiftly walking them back due to a decrease in educator quality. But, according to Patrick Kelly with the Palmetto State Teachers Association, “This is not a non-certified teacher program that we’ve seen in states like Texas and Utah and Oklahoma that basically just dropped all credentials and all requirements and said anybody with a high school diploma can teach.”
