Revolutionizing the way we hire teachers?

No argues that we are currently facing a shortage of qualified teachers — particularly in the fields of math and science — but it seems we can’t stop arguing about how to get them.

In today’s Tacoma News Tribune, the always-eloquent Liv Finne of the Washington Policy Center cuts through the noise and strikes right at the heart of the issue: teacher-credential laws. No matter what your stance on Washington’s teacher-credential laws, Finne makes some great points that simply can’t be ignored. Washington does hold more than 240,000 people with bachelor’s degrees or higher as computer or mathematical scientists, architects or engineers, statisticians and accountants, computer and information systems and engineering managers, life and physical scientists and post-secondary professors in math or science. And yet, without a significant amount of extra costs and training, these individuals will never be able to help students in our increasingly technological age.

Some critical points:

“Antiquated teacher-credential laws prevent schools from hiring individuals working in the private sector who have a high degree of knowledge and expertise in math and science. For example, by law Bill Gates is not allowed to teach math in a public high school.”

“Teacher-certification laws also contribute to an education culture which equates quality to the holding of a credential, even though research shows that teachers without such credentials, such as Teach for America candidates, are just as effective, if not more so, at raising student achievement as teachers with certificates, particularly in math.”

And

“In 2001, the Legislature – reacting to shortages of teachers of math and science – attempted to create alternate routes to the classroom. Alternate Route 3 was intended to attract ‘career changers’ with five years work experience and a bachelor’s degree or better in math.

“Unfortunately, this ‘alternate route’ requires candidates to go a year without pay, take 45 credits and pay more than $10,000 in tuition. The program has failed to attract sufficient numbers of teachers to meet current shortages.”

Thoughts? I think Finne has makes quite a sound argument, but let me know what you think.