Education is going to be a hot topic in the 89th Iowa General Assembly. It started with Senate President Jake Chapman’s opening day remarks about a sinister agenda and there are numerous bills addressing education being considered in the legislature.
Some of these will be contentious but on some I think the various parties can find common ground. An example of such a bill is HF2085. Introduced by Republicans: Wills, Stone, Wheeler, Westrich, Dolecheck, Thompson and Ingels — HF2085 calls for an alternative licensing path for prospective teachers. To qualify, candidates must:
- be at least 26 years old
- hold a bachelor’s degree
- complete an alternative certification program
- pass the Praxis (a teacher certification exam)
- complete a clinical experience program during their first year teaching
Even the the teacher’s union is willing to discuss the idea.
We are facing a crisis here in Iowa in terms of finding any employees to work in our schools, especially those folks who are certified to do so. … As long as we maintain a high level of standard for the individuals who are standing in front of a classroom with our students, then we certainly are interested in having conversations about any kind of alternative programming that they could come up with …
Mike Beranek, President Iowa State Education Association
There is a shortage of teachers in Iowa. In New Mexico it has gotten so bad that National Guardsmen are being called out to fill in in schools. I think this bill is an opportunity to take people who are subject matter experts and help them make the transition from traditional workforce to classroom.
If Iowa Republicans and the ISEA can agree on the idea — it must be a good one. Strange bedfellows indeed!