Home Economics Teacher Lori Anderson-Day, first credentialed on 21 Jan. 1992, teaches while her students complete a worksheet.
By: Genelle Gogue
The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) is currently looking into reforming its process for teaching credentials, EdSource Writer Diana Lambert wrote. While some tests may be waived based on prior performance on the SAT or the completion of certain coursework, members of the educational community have called for allowing certain degrees or coursework as an alternative to testing, Lambert further wrote.
If the abundance of testing is preventing quality teachers from getting credentials, Assistant Principal Jennifer Hutchison would appreciate reform, Hutchison said. There is a teacher shortage, Hutchison continued.
“My hope, truthfully, is that we would actually be able to get teachers because we do have a teacher shortage; it is an issue,” Hutchison said. “People are so afraid of taking exams and failing multiple exams. Nowadays, teachers have to take two or three exams depending on what their credentialing is. If those are hindrances to getting qualified teachers, I would love it if [CCTC] would reflect and figure out alternatives.”
The CCOTC’s use of testing to determine whether a prospective teacher deserves his credentials is still useful, Hutchison said. One example of the merits of the current testing system is its ability to determine a teacher’s writing ability, she continued.
“For example in CBEST, there’s a writing portion,” Hutchison said. “There are a lot of hoops to jump through to become an educator, and some of them are valuable and important. I would say this has been one of them that has some merit to it, but it may be we’re past that.”
Testing is not the only factor that is looked into when a teacher is hired. Even if the teacher credentialing system changes, teacher quality should stay the same due to diligence in the hiring process, she said.
“Tests scores are important, but so is their experience when it comes to getting through the hiring process,” Hutchison said. “We’re looking more about experiences that they’ve had, what they’ve taught, what their references are saying about them, and how they’ve performed in the past. In our hiring practices, we do enough looking into quality candidates, and we know enough about the people to ensure that we’re getting good people.”
Teacher Kenneth Lewis expressed his belief that a change in the credentialing system would not affect students greatly. Testing is not the end-all be-all of how good a teacher will be, he continued.
“I don’t see how [credentialing reform] would affect here because the test doesn’t show what teacher you are going to be,” Lewis said. “I could have bombed every test out there, that doesn’t mean I would be a better/worse teacher if I didn’t pass the test.”