The Idaho House has voted 54-13 in favor of legislation allowing local school districts to certify as teachers anyone who meets locally set requirements, as long as they include being at least 18, not having an infectious disease, passing a criminal background check, and holding a bachelor’s degree.
Rep. Charlie Shepherd said HB 221, is aimed at Idaho’s teacher shortage.
The Idaho Press reports that while acknowledging that Idaho already has several alternative forms of teacher certification. Shepherd said, “We need a new tool. So I guess our only option, unless we try something like this, is to not have a teacher in the classroom at all.”
Rep. Steve Berch said the answer to the teacher shortage is to pay teachers competitively. He called the bill a way “to avoid having to deal with the root cause of this problem.”
All 12 House Democrats plus one House Republican opposed the bill; 54 House Republicans voted in favor.
The bill now moves to senators for consideration.
