Leadership Group On School Staffing Challenges Summary

After reading the article, “Leadership Group on School Staffing Challenges,” I began to think how these licensing recommendation would affect me as a future educator. For example, Licensing Strategy #4 deals with the review and reconsideration of testing requirements for licensure currently. To summarize, this licensing strategy advises if the teaching candidate’s grade point average is between 3.0/4.0, the candidate will be exempted from taking the Praxis II exam. Furthermore, the candidate’s grade point average validates their mastery or efficiency. As a future educator, this Leadership Group recommendation to excuse certain teacher candidates because of their dedication and competence in their schooling is beneficial to me. I had a grade point average above 3.0, which pardons me from taking the Praxis II exam. Moreover, not being required to take the exam will save me money, which can be further used when I have to take the Foundations of Reading Test (FoRT). To continue, an interesting statement mentioned about the cost of assessments caught my attention when reading the article. To become a future educator, I will have to pay $1,200 or more just to enter my profession.

I agree with guiding principles of the Leadership Group, but I believe the cost is overbearing. Along with that, I believe the most beneficial and insightful assessment would be from a veteran educator, who has been in the field for numerous years and has lots of experience. In the article, it mentions the “potential bias in assessments,” which suggests the educators of the courses are biased towards wanting the candidate succeed. My outlook on this is that the educators of the candidate understand and know the candidate the best. Furthermore, the educators would know if the candidate would fail or succeed due to attitude and strive the candidate brought to the classroom along with knowing the candidate for multiple