Now is the time for genuine ‘alternative certification’

Our state legislators have just finished debating the details of a law that would open a new path or way (a.k.a. alternative certification) for top college graduates, mid-career professionals, and teachers licensed in other states to teach in Minnesota classrooms. The governor ultimately decides. No matter what, we as Black folks must be clear on what is at stake for our community.

As was said of the first footstep on the moon, this is “a small step for man but a big step for mankind.” Laws opening up new paths for great teachers may seem a small step for our legislators, but it is a big step for our children who must have more great teachers now! And it is a big step towards transforming education in Minnesota.

Not having a “real” alternative path (one that is not watered down with lots of requirements and restrictions having nothing to do with teacher effectiveness) has cost us big. This is one of the reasons our state lost a chance to receive millions of dollars to transform our educational system through the Obama administration’s “Race to the Top” grant in 2010.

President Obama knows that we shouldn’t block really gifted people from teaching our children. Right now, the National Teacher of the Year could not teach in Minnesota because of our failure to open pathways. Here’s the prevailing logic as to why we must open pathways now and what we should consider in doing so:

1. In states where there is a “real” alternative pathway, Black students do better academically, and there are more teachers of color. With 88 percent of Minnesota’s African American fourth graders significantly reading below grade level, along with our distinction as of being 49th out of 50 states with the highest achievement gap across economic lines, I’d say we must do things radically different now.

According to research conducted by Harvard Professor Paul Peterson, test scores of fourth- and fifth-grade students on the National Assessment of Educational Progress increased more in states that have genuine alternative certification (4.8 and 7.6 percent higher respectively) than in states that did not. African American students also made larger gains. In addition, those states with alternative certification (i.e., Maryland and Tennessee) tended to have a teaching force more representative of the states’ overall ethnic composition.

2. Let’s do what other high performing schools have done to get great teachers in their classrooms in front of the kids who need them most. Schools all over the country that are closing the Black-White achievement gap, like YES Prep in Dallas, KIPP Academy in the Bronx, Promise Academy in Harlem, and Urban Prep Academy in Chicago, have all told me that they have great teachers who came through both the traditional and alternative pathways.

Many of the latter are from programs like Teach for America (TFA), an organization that recruits the top 25 percent of all college graduates to teach for two years in the poorest communities in the U.S. In 2009, over 25 percent of Harvard’s and 35 percent of Spelman’s graduating African American seniors applied to get into teaching through TFA. And, two-thirds of all TFA alums go on to establish careers in education.

In Minneapolis, a number of Beating the Odds schools like Harvest Prep Academy and Hiawatha Leadership Academy (schools with over 85 percent free and reduced lunch students and impressive academic results) enthusiastically hire TFA teachers.

3. Consider the arguments against a “real” alternative pathway for great teachers in Minnesota. The first is that anyone wanting to teach must have a degree in that subject. While the premise is good, this will keep, for example, a talented, motivated, 4.0 GPA Morehouse college graduate in economics from teaching third graders math, even if he could prove mastery of the subject area. Does that make sense?

The second argument is that the current bill would lower teaching standards. The exact opposite is true. For example, every TFA has to pass the state required Basics Skills Test for teachers before they can ever enter a room. Teachers licensed through the traditional pathway can enter the classroom to teach without passing a Basic Test first — they have up to three years to pass the test. That’s a long time.

As we work on our global and inner-city competitiveness, consider the following:
•    23 percent of new American teachers come from the top third of their graduating class.
•    14 percent of new American teachers in high-poverty schools come from the top third of their college class.
•  100 percent of teachers in Singapore, South Korea and Finland come from the top third of their college class.
• 100 percent of TFA teachers throughout the country and here in Minnesota come from not just the top third, but the top fourth of their college class.

We already have great teachers in Minnesota classrooms, but with 88 percent of Black students being below grade level in fourth grade reading, I’d say we could use some more. It is time. Our children can’t wait another year.

Sondra Samuels welcomes reader responses to sondra@citypeace.org.