LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new bill recently introduced to Kentucky lawmakers aims to make education careers more accessible while also targeting the teacher shortage.
According to a press release, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) told the House Education Committee it is aware of about 1,700 openings and that there appears to be a decline in those interested in the job.
House Education Committee Chair James Tipton (R-D53) said while there is some discourse over the actual number of positions, "there's no denying that we need to do more to attract individuals to our classrooms."
"HB 319 includes some commonsense steps, targeting unnecessary and outdated regulatory requirements, streamlining the process for job searches, and expanding eligibility and scholarship awards through the Teacher Scholarship Program," he said.
One of the steps is the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, which would allow educators to get a Kentucky teaching license equivalent to what they have in other states.
The proposal would also require the KDE to create an "online statewide job posting system for vacations." It would also be used to streamline the existing hiring process that requires people to apply for teaching jobs multiple times in different counties depending on funds.
Additionally, House Bill 319 would get rid of the awards cap on individuals that applied for the Teacher Scholarship Program.
"Last session we provided local school districts with the funding to provide raises for all employees, this session we’re focused on making existing state programs and resources work more effectively at increasing access to a career in education," Tipton said.
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