Desperate Oregon Dials Back Substitute Teacher Qualifications

A substitute teacher shortage in the state of Oregon has school districts dropping their qualifications.  

According to an article from KEPR-TV, applicants only need to be 18 years of age and undergo a background check to be a substitute teacher in Oregon. That seems to be about it in terms of qualifications.

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Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission is having a difficult time finding qualified applicants for substitute teaching and is considering dialing back the qualifications needed to teach in Oregon.

The article states that Oregon a few years ago had over 8000 substitute teachers and now has about 5000 available to fill in.

The decision is getting mixed reactions from parents and teachers alike.

Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission is assuring parents that potential candidates will be vetted and monitored with several levels of security throughout the day.

Districts are saying there will be check-ins and several observers checking in with the substitutes daily.

These new regulations remind me of an old Little House on the Prairie episode where 16-year-old Laura Ingalls became a teacher.

She had to pass a test and it was as simple as that. I'm curious if this is going to be a similar situation in Oregon

Oregon's Teacher Standards and Practices Commission state officials did say that emergency licenses will be issued but only for this year and no longer than 6-months at a time.

Oregon is hoping to reevaluate the situation in January and is hoping that the substitute teacher shortage will work itself out.

You can read more details about the teacher shortage here.