NJ teachers union demands end to basic skills test, saying it will help shortage
In a bid to address the ongoing teacher shortage crisis, the New Jersey Education Association is actively campaigning for the elimination of a basic skills test for teachers.
The union, in a statement released Wednesday, outlined its objective to lower the entry requirements for aspiring teachers, asserting that this move would contribute to alleviating the state's pressing shortage of educators.
The NJEA has urged supporters to rally behind its cause by writing letters to Gov. Phil Murphy expressing their endorsement of Bill S1553. If signed into law, this legislation would eliminate the current requirement for teachers to undergo a basic skills test. The union believes that such a measure is crucial in attracting more individuals to the teaching profession, thereby mitigating the scarcity of qualified educators in New Jersey.
Last year, Murphy took a step in this direction by signing a bill that eliminated the Education Teacher Performance Assessment for aspiring teachers. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the NJEA demanded the removal of the basic skills requirement test as well.
We need you to take action! Last year, NJ eliminated the edTPA, a barrier to becoming a certified teacher. Now it's time to eliminate another barrier: the basic skills test for teachers. Urge Gov. Murphy to sign S1553 right away. #WEareNJEAhttps://t.co/XH694Vq7Eq
— NJEA (@NJEA) November 8, 2023
"New Jersey requires that candidates for teacher certification pass a basic skills test, the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading, Writing and Math, or show SAT, ACT, or GRE scores in the top third percentile the year they were taken," the NJEA said. "When the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) adopted changes to the administrative code around teacher certification, it missed an opportunity to eliminate this requirement, which created an unnecessary barrier to entering the profession."
Critics, on the other hand, express concerns about potential compromises in the quality of education if entry standards are lowered. The debate surrounding the balance between accessibility and maintaining educational standards is likely to intensify as the push for legislative change gains momentum.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New Jersey Education Association demands end to skill test
