Denton, TX, Sept. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To combat rising teacher shortages, Kentucky has approved iteach® as an alternative path for individuals seeking teacher certification. Since 2019, school districts in Kentucky have lacked qualified candidates for many educational positions. Applicants for these jobs often lack the required certifications to become teachers, though they might otherwise be qualified. In a recent survey conducted by the state Office of Educational Accountability, an overwhelming 93.5 percent of superintendents and 75.5 percent of principals reported that a lack of candidates was a moderate to extreme barrier to recruiting teachers.
Now, following iteach’s approval by the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board, Kentuckians with bachelor’s degrees can use an innovative hybrid model to navigate the process of becoming certified K-12 educators.
“I am proud that Kentucky has chosen iteach as an alternative path for teacher certification,” said Andrew Rozell, president of iteach. “This approval marks a significant milestone in our mission to provide flexible and effective certification options for aspiring educators. We look forward to supporting Kentucky's future teachers as they embark on their journey to make a meaningful impact in the classroom and their communities.”
iteach offers a streamlined path to certification for aspiring teachers who have completed their bachelor's degree. With a process that often takes approximately one year, iteach is faster and more affordable than a traditional, four-year university pathway to certification. The program offers flexible online programming, as well as an array of of complementary tools for teachers, including:
- The Teaching Channel professional development platform;
- Test prep resources from Passage Preparation; and
- Khanmigo for Teachers, an AI-powered teaching assistant designed to help teachers save time so they can focus on the human work of instructing a classroom full of students.
Studies have shown that offering alternative certification methods increases the number of minority teachers and those who might not otherwise have the funding for traditional certification. Teachers who take an alternative certification pathway demonstrate comparable student outcomes as traditionally certified teachers—and are more likely to teach in high-need schools. In addition, they have high retention rates, with most remaining in their school system for at least five years.
Since iteach was founded in 2002, it has helped more than 30,000 teachers earn certification. With the addition of Kentucky, iteach is now available in 14 states, and is the only non-university alternative teacher certification program accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
For more information on becoming a teacher in Kentucky and other states where iteach is available, visit iteach.net.
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About iteach
iteach® is a high-quality, trusted, competency-based alternative teacher preparation and certification program that combines the convenience of online learning with a full year of face-to-face supervision during a teaching residency. Now part of the certified B Corp K12 Coalition, iteach was founded in 2003 to help talented people become educators while avoiding the high costs and time commitments of some traditional educator preparation programs. To date, the organization is the only non-college Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) certified program in the United States, and has helped over 30,000 teachers become certified. The iteach model has been so successful at preparing high-quality educators on a large scale that the program now offers state-approved certification programs in 14 states and counting. Learn more at iteach.net.
