USA Today – Patrick Anderson
“Chris Lund hired three math teachers for the same opening last year. One resigned before walking in the door. Another lasted about a week before she walked out. The third didn’t have a teaching degree, but came with a master’s degree in business. “Someone walked in and asked if I would consider them,” said Lund, superintendent of the Arlington School District. “I told her I would give her two years.” Lund did what public school officials sometimes do when faced with dwindling options for a class that needs a teacher. He hired someone who wasn’t fully qualified. South Dakota allows the practice, but the responsibility then falls to local school officials to make sure the new hire is on a path to earn the credentials. It’s happening more often in South Dakota public schools. Hiring non-credentialed teachers comes with obvious risks, but it also can be a doorway for people who want to be teachers but don’t have the time or money for a second degree. How South Dakota compares nationally is hard to determine. States have different standards and policies for employing teachers.”(more)