ACC program ready to place teachers

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin Community College’s 20-month alternative certification program has more math and science teachers than it can place in local classrooms right now, a fact that appears to defy common logic that it’s impossible to find enough certified math and science teachers to take care of the growing need for such teachers in local schools.

In its seventh year, the ACC alternative certification program has placed 169 teachers in Central Texas school districts from Round Rock to San Marcos, with another 40 candidates either ready to begin training or waiting for a classroom placement. At a session at Highland Business Center on Monday night, the program will recruit more candidates in the areas of math, science, bilingual and special education.

“This is an excellent opportunity – particularly considering the downturn in the economy,” said Sharon Duncan, director of teacher certification. “The demand for teachers will never go away.”

That’s the same point that Education Commissioner Robert Scott noted in a recent session to discuss school ratings this year. About 20,000 teachers are prepared in Texas each year. Each year for the last three years, an equal number of teacher candidates have come from alternative certification and traditional degree programs.

Asked how the state might fill the need for additional math and science teachers under the state’s new requirement for four years of math and science fto earn a diploma, Scott noted that alternative certification programs were facing waiting lists with people who turned to education to have a more stable career.

Austin Independent School District’s recent decision to freeze hiring new employees, however, has left ACC in something of a lurch. ACC bases the number of candidates it will accept upon its ability to place those candidates. The hiring freeze at AISD, however, means ACC has a waiting list for people who are interested in teaching math.

“We have to ensure that people get jobs,” Duncan said. “With the economy right now – and AISD’s freeze on – a lot of our people are trained and tutored and ready to go, but they’re not getting their jobs right away.”

Along with too many candidates and the impact of AISD’s job hiring freeze, ACC has another factor to consider. Current classroom teachers simply aren’t retiring at the typical rates. Faced with a tougher economy, many are deciding to spend an extra year or two in the classroom.

“We’re really backloading the system right now. We’re taking people right now for employment next summer, but we’re still unsure about the numbers we need to take,” Duncan admitted. “More people are interested, but fewer teachers are leaving.”

Because of those factors, Duncan is more inclined to look to teaching candidates who are currently in a job. While the picture of the typical alternative certification candidate during the economic downturn might be a middle-aged employee who just faced a layoff, that’s just not always the case, Duncan said. It’s just as likely a candidate could be someone in a high-stress industry who always wanted to teach.

“Sometimes it really is a career change decision. It’s something they always wanted to do,” Duncan said. “Now they’re literally leaving the tech jobs that pay twice as much and going to a teaching job. It’s not because it’s easy and not because they’re going to get summers off. It’s because they really want to do this, and they really want to serve.”

Just last week, two of ACC’s alternative certification candidates were hired to re-staff Pearce Middle School. That’s a first for the program, which has never gotten candidates into Pearce, Webb Middle School or Reagan High School, said Duncan, who would like to expand ACC’s tutoring program, with alternative certification candidates, into the school as an additional support for the Pearce community.

So what’s the advantage of putting an alternative certification candidate into the classroom, versus a student who might have gone through a traditional program?

“Until a couple of years ago, the new graduates going into the classroom did not have mentors. Now that’s required by state law,” Duncan said. “Our candidates go in with a campus mentor and a (alternative certification program) supervisor who stays with them the entire year. If there are any red flags, somebody will be there, and when it requires it, we can offer more training. I’m even available to step in, if necessary.”

Monday night’s information session on the alternative teacher certification program is at the Highland Business Center, 5930 Middle Fiskville Rd., Room 301, at 6 p.m. A second information session is scheduled for Sept. 9.