Teachers: Is Certification All They Need?

When you think of teachers, what do you think of?

Do you think about the fact that according to the National Center for Education Statistics, or NCES, there are over 4 million educators in both private and public schools in America alone? Did you know that 5% of teachers are not legally certified to teach?

While this may not seem like a lot, 5% of 4 million translates to about 163,650 teachers nationwide. Qualified teachers are essential for a student’s success. They have the skills, training, and proper certification to educate and engage a student properly. Studies show teachers who are trained in classroom management are more likely to be able to keep their classrooms under control.

Certified teachers can also help their students reach their academic goals. Without these skills, the quality of education could suffer greatly. When teachers are underqualified, which means the teacher typically lacks proper certification, students may miss out on critical learning opportunities. According to NCES, graduation rates are 10-20% lower with teachers who lack certification.

To address this issue of underqualified teachers, some states and school districts are working diligently to attract and retain certified educators. Some of these strategies would include raising pay and providing better support and benefits for employees.

Certification programs like Teaching Fellows and Teach for America encourage teachers to achieve their teaching credentials so they could educate students properly. According to the National Educators Association, the average yearly salary for teachers in NC is $58,292, which is up 3% from last year, but despite the increase, North Carolina’s educator pay now ranks 41 out of all 50 states, falling from 38th in 2023-2024 and 36th in 2023-2024.

Teachers can also work to get their National Board Certification, which offers a 12% increase in salary for teachers and schools see higher test scores from their students when the teachers have their certification. As a middle school student, I personally see how challenging being a teacher is. I see teachers that buy school supplies for kids that might not have good access to them without expectation of reimbursement.

I see teachers who stay after school, unpaid, working vigorously to create exciting lessons and grade papers, just for the students. I see teachers going to the football games and band concerts when students ask them to because they care about the kids and want to support them. I

have seen teachers crying because they just talked to an overambitious, aggressive parent or a kid that has just lost a loved one and the teacher is overcome with emotion at how to handle the situation.

I see teachers consoling a child facing a grown-up problem with no one else to turn to. My point is that when I look at teachers, I see people who have determination, tenacity, strength, lots and lots of patience, but mostly, I see someone who cares. Ultimately, qualified, caring teachers are essential to a student’s success.

North Carolina’s government and the local districts need to provide supports for every teacher to obtain the necessary certifications. The great citizens of Bladen County need to support educators both financially and professionally in order to help teachers continue to educate our students the best way possible for the years to come.