UT researchers discovered 52% of Texas’ newly hired teachers lack certification and classroom experience, leading to issues with classroom management, retention rates and student learning, according to a Sept. 9 study. 

In 2022, the same researchers documented a decade-long increase in the amount of uncertified teachers. However, over the past two years, the rate of uncertified teachers teaching in classrooms experienced unprecedented growth, said Charles Martinez, dean of the College of Education and co-lead researcher. He said the new study aims to address the underlying causes of this growth and provide policymakers and school leaders with insights to address the issue effectively.

“As a world-class research institution we have a responsibility to shine a bright light on what the data can tell us about a problem as … complex as this one is,” Martinez said. “It hopefully will be instrumental as we look at the way forward in Texas.” 

Laura Torres, assistant professor in the College of Education and co-lead researcher, addressed the main factors contributing to the increase in uncertified teachers such as retirements following the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2015 Districts of Innovation Plan that allowed districts to hire uncertified teachers in emergencies. 

According to the study, students taught by uncertified teachers learned less in all tested subjects and grade levels than when taught by certified teachers. 

“The largest single difference we found was in high school English where students whose teacher was uncertified learned six months, out of a nine-month academic year, less than students whose teachers come from a traditional university program,” said Michael Marder, physics professor and co-lead researcher.  

In researcher interviews with school district leaders, 65% of interviewees said uncertified teachers feel overwhelmed by the demands of full-time teaching, especially while trying to meet certification requirements. As a result, they said many do not complete the certification process and leave the classroom. 

The study found fewer than 40% of uncertified teachers remain in the classroom after five years, with over 30% leaving after their first year. In contrast, only about 4% of traditional certified teachers leave after the first year and 19% after five. 

“Putting uncertified teachers in classrooms comes at a cost to student learning and the teachers themselves; imagine the stories that wait to be told of teachers who did not make it to their second year,” according to the report. 

In a policy proposal, Marder urged policymakers, state agencies and universities to address the growing gap in the state’s production of certified teachers versus the increasing number of uncertified teachers in the classroom.  

Researchers recommend investing in high-quality educator preparation programs, creating incentives for certified teachers and simplifying the certification process for teacher candidates, to best combat the issues brought on by uncertified teachers.

“A future with few certified teachers is not inevitable, but avoiding it will require action,” Marder said in a policy brief. “The goal of policy should be to return to a balanced source of teachers, dominated by traditional university programs, with alternative certification as backup and uncertified teachers rare exceptions.”