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District outlines steps to support alternatively licensed teachers, substitute training and hiring
Summary
HR staff described licensure types, a program of targeted meetings for alternatively licensed teachers, a principal requirement to include licensure goals in teacher professional plans, substitute training moving to face‑to‑face and an upcoming job fair on May 17.
Shana Jarrell, presenting a human resources and licensure overview for Columbus County Schools, told the board the district is increasing supports for alternatively licensed teachers and making procedural changes intended to reduce nonrenewal risk tied to missing licensure requirements.
Jarrell summarized North Carolina alternative licensure pathways—permit to teach (one‑year, lifetime limitation), emergency license (18 semester hours required), residency license (enrollment in an approved Educator Preparation Program, three years), limited license (for those who completed coursework but not exam; requires affidavits and is renewable) and provisional licenses for lateral moves. She said a permit to teach requires only a bachelor’s degree, while an emergency license requires 18 semester hours in the teaching area.
“We held licensure meetings for each licensure type on different days,” Jarrell said, describing mandatory face‑to‑face sessions for permit, emergency and residency teachers. Jarrell said principals were required to include a licensure‑related goal in each alternatively licensed teacher’s professional development plan so progress can be tracked at midyear and year‑end reviews.
Jarrell provided district data: 24.7 percent of teachers have provisional licenses, 32.9 percent possess residency licenses, 15.1 percent hold limited licenses and 8.2 percent hold emergency licenses. She said the district’s overall proportion of alternatively licensed teachers is about 21.7 percent.
Jarrell also announced other HR initiatives: substitute refresher training will be moved from online to face‑to‑face, with scheduled dates and local sessions; new substitute applicants must complete the Effective Teacher training at Southeastern Community College; and a district job fair is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., in the boardroom.
Board members asked about workload for coaching staff who also hold permits; Jarrell said the district will accommodate schedules and offer one‑on‑one meetings for those who could not attend group sessions. Jarrell and board members discussed state testing and licensing exams; Jarrell noted the cost and time burdens for exams such as edTPA and Praxis and encouraged board members to raise such issues with state legislators.
Jarrell also reviewed teacher attrition and mobility language and noted Columbus County Schools’ 2023–24 attrition rate was 11.31 percent; state numbers were compared in the slides provided to the board. She said the district is tracking reasons for departures and provides support through the beginning teacher program and HR.
The board did not take formal action on the presentation; it received the information and commended the HR efforts.
