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Education commissioner, certification board clash as lawmakers consider SB 1392 on teacher certification
Summary
Commissioner Charlene Tucker and the newly formed Connecticut Educator Preparation and Certification Board told lawmakers they want more time and study before changing how teacher content knowledge is measured; supporters of SB 1392 say alternate pathways are needed now to address shortages and diversify the workforce.
Commissioner Charlene Tucker of the Connecticut State Department of Education urged the Education Committee to slow SB 1392, saying the bill would “completely undermine the work of the Connecticut Educator Preparation and Certification Board” the legislature created last year.
The bill would allow several alternative ways for teacher candidates to demonstrate minimum content knowledge for certification, including passing a subject test, holding a subject-area degree, or a portfolio review. Supporters told the committee those alternatives could help recruit and retain candidates — particularly people from more diverse backgrounds — and address acute shortages in some subjects.
“The board is meeting monthly,” Tucker told lawmakers. “Please allow the board . . . to thoughtfully do the work that you’ve charged them to do and to bring back recommendations to this body.” She noted the department already is piloting alternatives and asked legislators to consider whether proposed changes would create unintended consequences or unfunded mandates.
Jennifer Rodriguez, chair of the Connecticut Educator Preparation and Certification Board and a first-grade teacher, said the board does not support the bill in its current form because statutory review steps and broad stakeholder consultation required by law have not been completed. “SB 13 92 would significantly alter the process and hastens the previously agreed upon timeline of 2026,” Rodriguez said.
Proponents included Teach for America Connecticut and teacher-residency program leaders who described cases where capable candidates struggled with a single standardized test and then left the state or the profession. “We must be open to a multitude of ways for teachers to demonstrate their mastery,” said Daniel Pearson, executive director of Educators for Excellence, which urged passage to address immediate vacancies.
Teachers’ unions, university-based educator-preparation programs and the Connecticut Education Association testified in opposition or urged caution, saying any new pathway must be reliable, valid and not driven by a rushed legislative deadline. They argued the state must protect consistent standards, and warned that poorly designed alternatives could create two-tier systems that disproportionately harm students in underresourced districts.
Several legislators said they want to balance urgency on shortages with the board’s statutory role. The board’s ad hoc committee is studying alternatives and is meeting in the weeks ahead; members said they hope to present vetted recommendations in the next legislative cycle.
What’s next: The committee heard extensive testimony and questions but recorded no vote. Lawmakers asked the certification board and the department for additional data and for proposals that would both expand pathways and protect quality.
