The KISD Local Innovation Plan is making many adjustments to the district, affecting both students and teachers. One change being made is the requirement for teachers and educators to have state certification in order to teach. The Board of Trustees will be able to hire a teacher who does not have the pertinent certification, so long as it is in the best interest of the district.
“We wanted to be able to bring in more people who have experience in the field but maybe not teaching experience,” said Ms. Romero, who worked with the Committee in charge of attendance and student discipline issues.
The exemption of this requirement will allow people with expertise in a particular field of industry to provide students with knowledge about what it is truly like to work in that field. This will also provide the flexibility to hire the most qualified candidate for a teaching position even if they do not yet have the certification previously required.
“However, I know a lot of people who are experts in their field; who have a lot of work experience, but may not be able to teach it very well. I think that it’s easier for a teacher to learn the material than to learn how to teach and already know the material,” said Ms. Romero.
Therefore, individuals hired under this new exception will be expected to work toward receiving the certification required within the timeframe specified in the employee contract.
Ultimately, Ms. Romero said, “I think that if we use it carefully, with the way our district is going right now, I think it’s probably the best option. We are getting more career driven and making education more personalized right now, which is a beautiful thing.”