HOUSTON — Why could the path to becoming a teacher in Texas soon change?
A state board voted last week to require a new teacher certification exam in Texas.
The test called Educative Teacher Performance Assessment still needs to be approved by the state board of education. That is expected to happen in June.
This comes as Texas faces a teacher shortage that’s been brewing since before the pandemic. While there is no coordinated tracking of the problem reports say rural and economically disadvantage districts are the ones struggling the most.
According to the Texas Tribune, the new test for teacher would replace the old school version. That was an exam made up of 100 multiple choice questions that has been used for the last two decades.
This new test requires prospective teachers submit answers to essay questions, a sample lesson plan and a video of themselves teaching.
While supporters say this new exam will do a much better job pinpointing where teachers need help, not everyone is on board.
Critics say it punishes people of color because it costs $200 more than the previous test. Two states that had been using the new test – New York and Washington – have already gotten rid of it.