In the fall of 2002, I started my career in education. With a bachelor’s degree in Dairy Production, I took the Alternative Certification route while holding the highly qualified status as an educator. I have never participated in the student teaching process but learned from great teachers I worked with.
In the process, I passed various praxis exams and participated in coursework required to fulfill the requirements. Praxis exams included Biology, Earth and Space, Agriculture Education, Principles of Learning and Teaching, and Middle School Science. Coursework included South Dakota Indian Studies and Adolescent Psychology.
In the spring of 2010, I completed a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I participated in the cohort while still on the Alternative Certification status as an educator. The fascinating part of the process was participating with a cohort of fully certified teachers who had a similar understanding of education as I did. I never felt behind because I lacked an actual undergraduate degree in education.
In the fall of 2011, I finally held the status of a fully certified teacher, having passed the Praxis exams required by the South Dakota Department of Education. Nine of my 12 years in education were spent as an alternative certified teacher, but I still hold a highly qualified status.
Ironically, in 2020, much concern was expressed about the effects of COVID-19. I was grateful to hold an undergraduate degree in Dairy Production with seven years of experience in the dairy business. My understanding of viruses and the effects of viruses helped me make decisions as a school superintendent and provide education to students throughout the 2020-2021 school year. In the spring of 2021, state assessments in my school district showed academic progress as though the pandemic hadn’t happened.
The modern workforce is characterized by increased mobility and a dispersed workplace. The average American changes jobs about 12 times in their lifetime. Many individuals may change careers, which includes a broader shift in profession. Alternative certifications provide the opportunity for professionals to shift into the field of education after participating in other workforce environments.
While working on my doctoral dissertation, “TEACHER RETENTION IN SPARSELY POPULATED RURAL SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL DISTRICTS”, alternative certification was a viable resource to provide students with a quality education. The Blue-Ribbon Task Force, established by Governor Daugaard in 2011, found that 240 classrooms in the state started the 2014-15 school year without a teacher. On February 21, 2024, SDPB published an article, “South Dakota’s teacher shortage a matter of pay and pipeline”, which stated that around 300 teaching positions sat vacant around the state in January.
South Dakota schools are struggling to find educators and have been for some time. The pipeline of educators from colleges is limited, and other options are needed. The alternative certification route for teachers is an opportunity to provide students with a teacher with workforce experience beyond education. To provide an expanded opportunity for applicants in teaching positions, the alternative certification process allows schools to provide the best fit in the classroom as well as the educator workforce.
Newell School District currently employs staff working on the alternative certification route. The educators provide a diversity of backgrounds and experiences to the students. We celebrate educators that have taken the traditional educational route to prepare for the classroom but the alternative certification routes as well.