Gov. Doug Ducey has signed legislation allowing people without formal teacher training to teach in Arizona classrooms.
When SB 1042 goes into effect, a person with prior expertise in any subject matter will be allowed to become a teacher in Arizona. In the past, that was just limited to STEM fields. The law will also exempt potential candidates from having to take a subject matter proficiency test.
There are still some restrictions in place though. Candidates must still have a higher education degree, have at least five years of experience in their field, and taught a relevant course for the last two years.
Ducey says the move is part of a larger effort to address Arizona’s growing teacher shortage. Critics say, this is just lowering standards, arguing teacher pay is the real issue behind the shortage.
