MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Senate unanimously passed legislation creating a new teaching certificate for military veterans on Thursday.
The bill by State Sen. Matt Woods (R-Jasper) would establish the military veteran teaching certificate, to authorize the State Board of Education to grant teaching certificates to veterans who meet certain requirements for providing instruction in certain teaching fields for which the state board otherwise requires a bachelor's degree.
Woods told reporters on Thursday, “We’ve all experienced a teacher shortage in the state. Every school district is facing shortages. So we’re trying to find unique ways that we can engage populations that would be great fits in the classroom and get them in the pipeline for our education systems. Other states have done something similar and so we felt like we should adopt it here in Alabama.”
“This is going to be a major step forward in the recruitment of teachers here in the state of Alabama giving an opportunity for veterans who have served our country with distinction to bring those qualities they possess and have gained by military service and share them with our students in the classroom. It’s going to be a win for students and a win for veterans,” he added.
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