Virginia’s Public Schools' teacher shortage has resulted in the adoption of new rules that will offer teaching degree programs at the undergraduate level.
In an effort to facilitate a faster turnover of aspiring teachers from college to the work world, Governor Terry McAuliffe has signed an executive order which directs the Virginia Board of Education to change the requirements necessary to earn a teaching degree in the state’s public colleges and universities. The executive order will adopt emergency rules to combat the state's teacher shortage. Starting next year, college students seeking a teaching degree will be able to earn a four-year undergraduate degree as opposed to the outgoing requirement of earning a teaching degree via a five-year master’s degree program.
McAuliffe said that both the cost of higher education and the current severe need for more teachers served as the reason behind the decision, while the governor also believes that changing the requirements will help to encourage more of the state’s citizens to pursue a teaching career and help to meet the needs of Virginia’s growing school system.
In addition, McAuliffe is pouring $1 million into the recruitment and retention of school principals in troubled and struggling school districts, $100,000 into helping minority students pay for testing and test prep programs, and $1.1 million toward making teacher licensing process faster and automated. Changes will also be made to the State’s Teaching Scholarship Loan Program, which will make students eligible for $20,000 by teaching in low income school districts and shortage areas for two years.
The emergency rules and budgetary changes prompted by a reported 1,000 vacant teaching positions in the Virginia State Public School System during this academic year will go into effect on March 1.
