New Legislation Helps Out-Of-State Teachers Get Licenses, Get Into Classrooms Faster

Tennessee Tech Associate Dean for the College of Education Dr. Julie Baker said new legislation could ease the process to get a teaching license for out-of-state teachers.

The bill creates a pathway for qualified teachers to get into classrooms quicker. Baker said that while it takes away the initial barrier to entry, teachers would eventually have to undergo evaluations.

“And so after they’ve been here a couple of years, they get their license and they’ve been here a couple years,” Baker said. “Then there’s a decision that has to be made about their teacher effectiveness scores, and you know if they have a recommendation and high scores from the principal or the director of schools in the district where they are teaching.”

Baker said that her department has seen an increase in the number of school districts reaching out and asking about teachers. However, she said that she does not think there is a severe shortage of teachers.

“For several years we saw a drop in enrollment for teacher prep program across the state,” Baker said. “That really has leveled out and started to tick back up a little bit so I think that part will help. We also have seen an uptick in professionals in other disciplines who are starting to go back to be a teacher.”

Baker said she hopes to see legislation that helps in-state teachers with this process as well, but that it’s important to get teachers into high-need classrooms.

“To allow them to go into schools, completing all other requirements that we have in our teacher prep program,” Baker said. “But allow them to go in and maybe waive an assessment for the first couple years and see because we do have some teacher candidates who really struggle with those assessments, and we know that they’re good teachers.”