In contrast, the commonly held assumption is that teaching in elementary and secondary schools requires far less skill, training, and expertise. Those who have spent time in classrooms know that high quality teaching requires a great deal of expertise and skill. At a time when research clearly demonstrates that teacher quality is the factor that matters most for student learning, assigning just anyone to teach a class is not sufficient. Individuals may have a great deal of content knowledge and little ability to get that knowledge across. Individuals may be talented teachers but have no content knowledge.
Students deserve teachers who possess both.
They deserve a competent teacher in every classroom. 9-12, including veteran teachers, who do not have majors or minors in the subject that they teach. The report presents national data about the number of students in the nation's secondary school whose teachers lack basic qualifications in their assigned teaching fields. Crackdowns on Emergency Licenses Begin as Teacher Shortages Loom This April 1999 Education Week article describes licensure procedures in different states. Texas Teacher Recruitment and Retention Study, February, 1999.