found that Texas has been unsuccessful in filling gaps in its high-need teaching areas after it relaxed requirements over two decades ago.That might be an unintended consequence making it harder to keep folks in the profession and fueling a vicious cycle of teacher turnover., associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Oklahoma.
Within five years of the policy change, more than half of the state’s new teachers were alternatively licensed. Many options were for-profit programs, and market forces ended up producing a lot of elementary school teachers and not enough teachers in the shortage areas, Guthery said.And inflation-adjusted pay for new teachers also fell as the barriers to entry for the profession fell.One could be the lower earnings power.And alternatively licensed teachers tend to start out at higher-need schools rather than the “leafy suburban schools,” which could be contributing to career burnout.