Guest opinion: Certification process culls quality teachers

I‘m a teacher. I’ve been a teacher for 10 1/2 years now.

Before I even started my career, though, I had to pass through a few steps, as any professional would. I attended an accredited institution’s education program, passed my student-teaching experience, passed all the Praxis standardized tests required of me, was fingerprinted, had background checks, and interviewed with district assistant superintendents.

I was granted a professional teaching certificate in the area of secondary English in the state of South Carolina. I then taught for four years in the Greenville County public school system.

I decided to move to California. When I got there, I paid to take another test, the CBEST, which I passed in all three areas – reading, writing and math. I again was fingerprinted, had background checks and interviewed with numerous higher-ups.

I was granted a professional teaching certificate in the area of secondary English in the state of California. I then taught for six years at a private school in San Diego County.

In those 10 previous years of teaching, I have taught both 11th and 12th grades; I have run an award-winning yearbook program; I have been the faculty adviser of student clubs; I have been a department head; I have been the assistant dean of academics; I have been a summer intern with the president of the private school; and I have been a school’s coordinator for its periodic accreditation process. And at the end of every one of those 10 years, I have been given an exemplary evaluation.

(Forgive me for giving my resume, but there’s a point. I promise.)

I then decided to move to Spokane. In order to have even a possibility of teaching here, I had to pay to take yet another Praxis standardized test ($115), pay to have my fingerprints done and another background check ($105), and send two quite bulky packages to Spokane and Olympia for their reviews of both personal and professional information about me.

Several months after starting this arduous process, I received a package from Educational Service District 101 – my temporary teaching permit, one that would expire in six months. Because the process was still not complete after those initial six months, I later received another temporary permit in the mail.

Finally, I received my holy grail – my official Washington state education certificate with an endorsement in English language arts. The certificate type was labeled “residency teacher (provisional status).”

I was in! I could get a job in the Spokane public school system! I could support my family! I could do what I love!

I was then extremely fortunate (and every person I’ve encountered in the Spokane area has told me just how lucky I was) to get a job at Lewis and Clark High School, one of the premier public high schools in the nation.

Since then, I have planned, taught, graded. And then I’ve done it all some more. Just as a public-school, state-certificated teacher should.

I have been observed, have observed others, have attended all meetings. Just as a public-school, state-certificated teacher should.

Then, reality set in with a seemingly innocuous statement from my district-appointed mentor. She told me that I soon had to start work on my professional teaching certificate.

I was confused, to say the least, for I was already accredited by the state of Washington. I had the green piece of paper to prove it. Now, she was implying there was still more to do? Impossible!

Strangely enough, she was correct. When we met, she explained that I still have several classes to take (at my financial expense), hours to commit (at my family’s expense), and hoops through which to jump (my words, not hers).

Then, and only then, would those ivory-tower, elitist, educational administrators in Olympia allow someone with my background and experience to receive the “real” teaching accreditation handed down from on high. I will then accept the new piece of paper with humble gratitude. At least, I guess that’s what I’m expected to do.

The shame of this little account is that mine is not an individual one. In fact, hundreds of experienced, well-educated teachers who come into this state every year all have to perform the same inane dog-and-pony show (again, at their own expense) just to have a shot at becoming a Washington public school teacher.

And I wonder why there is a shortage of quality educators in this state.