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DEED says certification turnaround reduced to about four weeks after staffing changes; committee seeks staffing detail
Summary
Department officials told the House Finance Committee that certification processing time has fallen from a several-month backlog to roughly four weeks following staff reassignments and an online-only application shift; lawmakers asked for employee counts and job descriptions.
Department officials told the House Finance Committee that teacher-certification turnaround times have improved after process changes and temporary staff reallocations.
Deputy Commissioner Karen Morrison described recent operational steps: the department stopped accepting paper applications, redirected staff to the certification queue and modernized online services so employers can track applicants. Morrison said processing times that reached “upwards of 4 months” in the past have improved to about four weeks and the department’s target is a 30-day turnaround.
Why it matters: multiple lawmakers raised concerns that lags in certification affect hiring and pay cycles for teachers and substitute staff. Representative Hannon and others sought specific numbers on current staffing for certification and whether the department expects recurring workload increases tied to nontraditional certifications and international hires.
The department said it had increased staff dedicated to certification and reported a current staffing level working certification in the range of several positions (Morrison said the unit had been directed to seven staff earlier; she later described a figure of four active staff on the queue after adjustments). Officials offered to provide precise headcounts and job descriptions for the committee’s follow-up.
Ending: the department committed to supplying exact counts of employees handling certification, job descriptions for newly added positions and any projected backlog metrics the committee requested.
