State education officials signed off on creating an Enhanced Standard Certificate for teacher candidates who complete a residency route, spending a year learning from an experienced educator inside the classroom.
“This is a way for applicants to differentiate themselves,” State Board of Education member Will Hickman, R- Houston, said. “For the [school districts] trying to hire teachers, these residents will stand out.”
Texas still is struggling with teacher retention and recruitment, according to the latest state data.
Roughly one in three new teachers hired across Texas in the 2024 academic year were uncertified, meaning the state has no way to know if they received rigorous training.
The reliance on such educators has grown in recent years, worrying officials because teachers without intensive preparation are more likely to leave the profession at much higher rates. Students of novice teachers also tend to achieve less academic growth than those with more experienced teachers, state data shows.
One potential solution that’s emerged is the idea of paid teacher residency programs.
A residency is typically a yearlong training or co-teaching experience. Residents get paired with a successful mentor teacher and learn how to educate students alongside them, receiving frequent feedback on their skills.
Residency models increase teacher retention, contribute to improved student outcomes and improve educators’ efficacy in the classroom, according to findings from the state’s Teacher Vacancy Task Force.
A specialized teaching certificate for those who have gone through a residency can signal to district employers that a candidate had more rigorous preparation than other potential hires.
During recent legislative sessions, public education advocates urged lawmakers to take significant action to address teacher shortages. They wanted state money for bonuses, pathways for teachers to make higher salaries based on how they were trained and funding for a Texas teacher residency program.
However, these ideas were caught up in political fights. Legislation that aimed to improve teacher recruitment and retention died after its fate was tied to a plan to funnel public dollars toward private school tuition.
Beginner teachers are often paid the same amount, regardless of whether they are uncertified, have an intern certificate or have a standard certificate.
Jonathan Feinstein, the Texas state director for nonprofit The Education Trust, said this lack of differentiation can send a signal that districts don’t value what training pathway a new hire comes in through.
Among the measures that failed in the Legislature was one that would have set up pay structures based on preparation.
If lawmakers take up a similar proposal during next year’s legislative session, the special residency path for certification may be helpful.
The Enhanced Standard Certificate will also allow the state to collect data and analyze outcomes for resident teachers.
“We’ll be able to really measure their long-term retention or effectiveness,” Feinstein said.
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