Alabama streamlines special-education certification in bid to remedy teacher shortages
![State Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey explained that the emergency certification had not been previously open to special education teachers, because special education students are the most highly specialized students. Applicants will be required to begin their module process immediately, which Mackey believes they will get high-quality candidates.](/https/www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/gcdn/presto/2020/06/26/PMOY/7bf7ccb1-4fa9-4e21-bc9a-dfd8cad48a0d-200626_jc_schools_02.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Alabama Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey announced at the state board of education meeting this month that there would be a streamlined approach for special education teachers seeking temporary teaching certifications.
The streamlined process will allow someone to begin teaching special education while working on their certification, similar to the emergency teacher certification process currently in place. Those with temporary certification can teach in the classroom for three years while working through five modules that would allow them to receive their permanent certification.
The program will be open to people who have a four-year degree from an accredited university.
Alabama is in the midst of a teaching shortage, and according to Mackey, Alabama had a teacher shortage before the pandemic. Mackey said that when he announced this program superintendents cheered.
Alabama currently has record budgets directed to children with special needs, according to Mackey.
“So, we've made over the last two years — and this will be the third year — the most significant investments in special education support the state of Alabama has ever seen in its history,” he said.
The program is similar to the previous emergency teaching certification, but emergency teaching certification was not open to special education teachers.
Mackey explained that the emergency certification had not been previously open to special education teachers, because special education students are the most highly specialized students. Applicants will be required to begin their module process immediately, which Mackey believes they will get high-quality candidates.
“Obviously, in a perfect world, you would hire people after they'd finished all five modules,” said Mackey. “But we don't live in a perfect world. In fact, our world in education is getting more imperfect every day because we cannot find teachers.”
The teachers with temporary certification will be in a classroom with mentors. Jessica Luster, a special education teacher and special education parent, stressed the importance of having a good mentor for the program.
"I think that that's going to be crucial,” said Luster about mentorship.
Luster hopes that the mentors in the program will provide more advice and guidance for real world special education teaching. She emphasized the importance of gaining the experiences with paper work and documentation.
“Special education is a lot of paperwork,” said Luster. “It is a lot of dotting every I crossing every T and still you may end up having to meet with lawyers. People know that and anything that we can do to get more special education teachers is just going to benefit our students.”
Overall, she thinks the program will be a good thing as it provides greater resources and more opportunities to help lessen the teacher shortage.
Rachel Scott, a special education parent, said that she believes the program will be a good fit for her daughter, who attends Floyd Middle School and has a physical disability. She has another daughter with a speech individualized education plan who attends Bear Exploration center.
Scott said that she feels comfortable with this program in the case of her daughter, but she said that she might feel differently if her daughter had a different disability.
“I don't feel like you can just throw somebody in there for all the cases and expect that things are going to run smoothly,” said Scott.
The program started immediately, according to Mackey. A person interested would begin by getting hired at a school and then receiving a temporary certificate.
Mackey said that those interested are usually already a part of the school, such as in the position of a teaching aide.
Jemma Stephenson is the children and education reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser. She can be reached at [email protected] or 334-261-1569.