Alternative teacher license survives Glenda Ritz's effort to kill it

The most controversial provision of proposed teacher licensing changes championed by Tony Bennett, former state superintendent of public instruction, survived an effort by current Superintendent Glenda Ritz to completely kill it.

Her motion failed Wednesday on a 6-5 vote by the State Board of Education, temporarily preserving a proposal that would allow college graduates with a B-average in any subject to earn a K-12 teaching license by passing one test.

However, the board later addressed some of the objections by instead creating a career specialist certificate. It would allow professionals, such as those from technology or the arts, to apply to teach in high school. Applicants would need 6,000 hours of real world experience and would undergo teaching training upon taking the job.

The change was approved on an 8-3 vote, with Ritz and two other board members opposing it.

Critics say the proposal would allow untrained teachers to lead a classroom without understanding childhood development or classroom management. Some said struggling schools desperate for educators could be forced to hire these teachers because other more qualified candidates were unavailable.

Brad Oliver, a board member and Indiana Wesleyan University dean, said the permit appeared to run against a law requiring Indiana education colleges and programs to be rated on how effective their graduates are as teachers.

"We are the last gateway to make sure that anybody that is in front of a child has had at least modicum similar standards," he said.

But other board members said the flexibility would empower local districts to hire whom they want and to find new talent.

Daniel Elsener, Marian University president, said if a teacher with the less rigorous license fails in the classroom, the principal, superintendent and school board can hold them accountable.

"I like opening up the field," he said. "I think it is opening another option, and no one has to do this. The quality and type of training in a professional growth program is a local option. If they find a new and better mousetrap to develop a teacher, I like that innovation."

The new teacher licensing rules were proposed by Bennett, a Republican, but faced wide opposition from public education advocates. The proposal was approved during Bennett's last meeting as superintedent in 2012 despite a request to wait until Ritz, a Democrat, took office.

But the rules were not implemented and another series of public hearings were required last year before the changes could be approved.

While the career specialist certificate was OKd Wednesday, it is part of a broader package of changes to teacher licensing that must be voted on as a whole later this year.

Call Star reporter Eric Weddle at (317) 444-6222. Follow him on Twitter: @ericweddle.