https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/the-interstate-teacher-mobility-compact-is-now-in-effect-heres-what-that-means/2023/07

“It’s going to make the recruitment of teachers easier. Anything to facilitate their mobility across state lines is going to be helpful to address teacher shortages.”– David Griffith, the associate executive director of policy and advocacy for the National Association of Elementary School Principals.

To address teacher shortages, ten states have just made it easier for certified teachers from other states to teach in their public schools, according to a recent Education Week article. These educators must still hold a bachelor’s degree and have completed a program for teacher licensure, but they don’t have to take state-specific exams, complete more coursework or submit additional materials. The participating states are: Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Nevada, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Utah.

Last spring, these states signed on to the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, the benchmark needed for the agreement to become active.

Before this compact, to get a new license in a different state could be confusing, complicated, and expensive. Some teachers even sued to get their past licenses recognized. The compact, which was funded and developed by the Department of Defense and others, makes it much easier.

This initiative benefits military families, who move every two to three years, with the spouse wanting to teach in the new location and avoid the time-consuming and expensive process of reapplying for certification.

Six more states could sign on to the compact soon. They are New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and California. Six additional states have legislation pending, and other states are likely to join in the years to come. A handful of states already offer full teacher-license reciprocity, though their rules vary because these states crafted their policies independently. Meanwhile, the compact offers a uniform set of rules and will be governed by a commission made up of one education official from each participating state.

This sounds like a great way to make it easier for teachers who move to continue their careers in education. How long will it take for all states to join this compact?