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Quicker teacher certification options are before a House committee. KSMU's Missy Shelton reports.
Supporters of the bill say if Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates came to Missouri, he'd have a hard time getting certified to teach high school computer classes.
And it's a problem that Scott Allford encountered when he wanted to become a teacher after working for years as an engineer and a systems analyst.
He says even though he didn't have any education training, he felt ready for the classroom given that he had experience as a tutor and had two bachelor's degrees, one in mathematics and one in computer science.
Instead, Allford says he spent three years taking education courses at four different universities to satisfy certification requirements.
He says he supports legislation that would make it easier to become a certified classroom teacher for professionals who want to make teaching their second career.
The House Education Committee is considering legislation that would allow teachers to get certified through the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence'That would eliminate the need for several semesters of additional education training for individuals who hold Bachelor's degrees in subjects other than education.
Buffy DeBreaux-Watts is the Senior Director of Candidate Services for the Board, which is based in Washington D.C.
She told the House committee that the Board's certification process takes about a year.
But some lawmakers worry that the process doesn't prepare new teachers to handle problems in the classroom.
Democratic Representative Sara Lampe of Springfield is a long-time educator and education administrator.
She says it's important that teachers have education training, not just training in a particular subject area.
And Lampe says it's important to remember that teaching is a profession that requires specialized training.
But bill supporters say the training requirements that are in place now are so time-intensive that people who might become good teachers see the process as an obstacle.
Meanwhile, they say many school districts are facing a shortage of teachers.
Buffy DeBreaux-Watts with the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence says giving certification to teachers who complete the board's program will move more teachers into classrooms in subject areas like math and science where there's a shortage of teachers.
But some lawmakers like Representative Sara Lampe say quicker certification won't solve the teacher shortage.
Lampe says there are underlying issues that lawmakers should address.
The legislation that would expand the options for teacher certification is up for consideration in a House committee.