Demand Connecticut Legislators Modernize the Teaching Certification Process

The Connecticut teacher certification process is cumbersome, outdated, and presents unnecessary obstacles to becoming a teacher in public schools. There are so many individuals, even some currently working in the classroom, who want to become teachers but are prevented from doing so due to time restraints, budget restraints, and testing requirements.

This archaic certification process has a ripple effect on other issues within our school systems, including chronic staffing shortages and a lack of teacher diversity. We need to make the pathway to teaching more accessible.

We can do this by implementing Grow Your Own programs where students can be introduced to the teaching profession as a viable career option at a young age; we can begin taking into account classroom experience and abilities rather than only relying on test scores to determine who can teach; and we can implement programming that makes it easier for individuals to balance a budget or their family while also studying to become an educator.

Our students deserve more, and our teachers deserve more. We demand Connecticut legislators modernize the teaching certification process during this year’s legislative session.