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Educator urges restoration of three teacher‑licensure grade bands to bolster middle‑grades math
Summary
Dr. Findel, a mathematics teacher educator at The Ohio State University, testified in support of Senate Bill 144 to restore three licensure grade bands (pre‑K–5, 4–9 and 7–12). He argued that K–8 content breadth makes it difficult for teachers to develop deep content knowledge in mathematics and that middle‑grades specialization is needed to raise
Dr. Findel, introduced to the committee as a mathematics teacher educator at The Ohio State University, testified in support of Senate Bill 144 to restore three teacher‑licensure grade bands: pre‑K–5, 4–9 and 7–12. "There is too much content in the K‑eight mathematics standards for teachers to become competent in this area while also mastering content in 3 other subject areas," Dr. Findel said, arguing that specialization better prepares teachers for middle‑grades mathematics instruction.
Dr. Findel described reasons for the change: middle‑grades students have different social, emotional and cognitive needs than younger children; middle‑grades mathematics expectations have deepened over decades; and departmentalization in many Ohio schools already requires specialized preparation. He said students lose learning when teachers rely on procedural "tricks" in place of conceptual instruction and cited the pandemic's disproportionate effect on middle‑grades math achievement.
Committee members asked how teacher knowledge affects classroom learning and whether artificial intelligence could help. Ranking Member Ingram asked how lack of teacher mastery affects student understanding; Dr. Findel said teachers without deep content knowledge may teach procedures that fail later when students encounter more advanced material. On AI, Dr. Findel said tools can sometimes give plausible‑looking but incorrect explanations and stressed that short‑term reliance on AI is not a substitute for teachers' deep content knowledge.
Chair Brenner told the committee there was written proponent testimony on members' iPads and that a substitute bill, aligned with the ranking member's preferences and Department of Education input, may be circulated next week. The committee concluded the second hearing on SB 144 with no recorded final action in the transcript.
Ending: Testimony closed; committee may consider a substitute bill and follow up with additional materials from the Department of Education.
