For my St. Patrick’s Day lunch reading I opened the monthly email from NC Public Schools, From the Board Room: Activities of the NC Board of Education. March’s update includes a recap of the presentation about LETRS training, a lot about charter schools, and sandwiched in the middle a recap NC’s Limited Licenses. Let’s pause on that topic today.

Limited License–what is it?

According to the March presentation to the NC Board of Education by Dr. Tom Tomberlin, Director of Educator Recruitment of Support, a limited license is a three-year nonrenewable license issued to an individual who meets the requirements of this subdivision, see G.S. 115C-270.20. Limited license are only available by request from a local school board. Dr. Tomberlin noted that only 1.2% of all of NC’s early career teachers have limited licenses, yet in certain public school units (PSUs), the percentage of limited licensed teachers is as high as 10%. A Limited License data dashboard was also shared.

It’s not the license, it’s the test

It’s not so much the limited license that is the issue, but the testing requirement associated with clearing it. For most teachers on a limited license, the barrier to moving forward with a clear Professional Educator’s License is a test. Yes, often a content or pedagogical content knowledge test.

If we follow the research, we know these tests have biases that prevent entry to the field for teachers of color and teachers from underrepresented groups. If NC is truly committed to diversifying the teacher workforce, the NC General Assembly and NC Board of Education should remove barriers like these licensure tests.

Furthermore, NC lacks evidence that links standardized licensure tests, traditional paper-and-pencil tests, to future performance or student learning. NC licensure policy would benefit from removing tests that predictive value and serve as barrier to entering the field.

It’s time to move away from licensure tests in NC.

Value quality educator preparation

Dr. Tomberlin, who noted, “…teachers with limited licenses have successfully completed all their teaching program work and just haven’t passed the state’s required teaching exam.” Research on NC’s public and independent EPPs shows that NC EPP program completer have the best outcomes with learners. Rather than rely upon a test to tell us is a teacher is ready for the classroom, let’s lean on, engage, and value the educator preparation programs right here in NC and allow program completers to teach.

It’s time to move away from licensure tests in NC and value NC’s educator preparation programs.

Limited should mean something

Time is not fixing the Limited License issue. As Dr. Tomberlin noted, “But I don’t think time is solving the problem here. I think it may be some other intervention to help these teachers meet the requirement and move on.”

Dr. Tomberlin is making the case to move them on as teachers of record. I might make the case that some of these teachers ought not become teachers of record.

If NC does not remove the testing barrier, we also should not extend the license in perpetuity. With limited licenses a teacher can serve on a lateral, now residency license, for three years and not complete this requirement. And then, the same teacher can have a limited license for up to another three years. So, for up to six years, six cohorts of students will have a teachers who has not yet met the state requirements for licensure. That’s a long time.

It’s time to make a decision.

Where do we go from here?

What NC needs to consider is the true value of licensure tests for teachers and the student they serve. If the tests are not predictive of future teaching or student learning outcomes, we should remove the tests and rely upon our accomplished and accredited educator preparation programs who prepare teachers. However, if NC believes in the value of licensure tests, we should enforce the policy, require the test, and move teachers who do not meet the policy out of classrooms.

As a life-long educator, I believe it is time to move away from licensure tests in NC, value NC’s educator preparation programs, and enact licensure policy that supports teachers and students and is not full of loop holes. It’s time for NC to make the right choice and move on. Our public school children deserve it.