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Newly hired arts teachers say licensure pathway forces expensive master’s option; ask for support
Summary
Arts teachers hired under the Blueprint Road to Licensure said recent pathway changes left them with a single required certification route — a master’s degree — and called on the board to support reimbursement or other financial help during the transitional period.
Teachers of the arts hired for 2024–25 under AACPS’s Blueprint Road to Licensure told the board the district’s recent removal of transcript analysis from certification pathways effectively left arts hires with only a master’s-degree route to certification, creating a financial barrier for some new teachers.
A speaker who identified herself as a member of "Studio 39" said that prior to the change there were three certification pathways and that the resident teacher program is not available to arts teachers. "What you might not know is that as teachers of the arts, we actually are not eligible for 1 of the remaining 2, which is the resident teacher program. And this leaves us with not 1 option, but 1 requirement, which is a master's program," she said, and added that district reimbursement programs operate on a reimbursement basis rather than providing upfront tuition support.
Why it matters: Speakers said requiring a master’s program as the only viable route to certification could deter qualified arts professionals from joining or remaining in AACPS if they cannot front tuition costs. They asked the board to consider support for 2024–25 hires and other transitional measures as the district implements licensure changes.
No votes were taken. Testimony will inform board and administrative discussions as the district implements the Blueprint Road to Licensure.
