AZ: Ducey signs new legislation promising solution for teacher shortage

New legislation will soon allow Arizona schools to consider a new pool of candidates when hiring teachers.

Governor Doug Ducey is calling SB 1042 a win for schools, teachers and students.

According to the governor’s office, “Currently, Arizona allows experts in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields to become teachers through a Specialized Teacher Certificate. Senate Bill 1042 expands this program to experts in other subject matters who have a higher education degree, have taught a relevant course for at least the past two years, and have at least five years experience working in a relevant field.”

However, critics say the legislation won’t solve the state’s teacher shortage problem and may even make matters worse if it means lowering the standards for future teachers.

Yuma Union High School District Superintendent Toni Badone says her district is also struggling to retain and hire quality teachers. According to Badone, 40 positions went unfilled last school year.

Badone says one of the challenges the district faces is competing with other school districts who offer teachers better salaries.

“Locally in our school district last year for the first time in a while we were able to give five-percent raises and that’s really thanks to the voters and proposition 123. We used two years for one year in that case. This year, we are giving a three-percent raise to our employees, which of course includes teachers. The concept is to both keep teachers and recruit new ones,” Badone explained.

Badone adds that the new legislation will also require more teacher training programs which require more funding.