WASHINGTON, DC – At a hearing of the Senate Health Education and Labor and Pensions Committee regarding teacher quality and retention issues, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today examined extensive teacher certification processes as mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act.

Senator Roberts made the following statement:

"As a former educator, the topic of recruitment and retention of quality teachers is a particular interest of mine. I remember going through the teaching requirements for certification. I was a speech teacher, which of course meant I was also the debate and forensics coach, newspaper sponsor, and basketball coach.

"The certification process was tedious at best. I can’t tell you how much time we spent learning about standard deviation. Many educators in this room will remember learning this. Like me, many of you might agree you have never used this information, despite the extensive instruction time spent on it.

"As a United States Senator and former newspaper man with many years of experience in both government and public service, I could walk into almost any post-secondary institution and be a professor. However, I could not be a high school government teacher.

"Communities across the country have a wealth of individuals with essential skills and knowledge in high need areas of education especially math and science. One of the biggest components that is deterring a majority of these professionals from entering into teaching is the long certification process.

"The average teaching certification process takes four years to complete. In Kansas, this process is five years.

"In the No Child Left Behind Act, a program called Troops to Teachers was created to transition retired military personnel into teachers by assisting them in their certification requirements. They are still required, however, to go through the long certification process.

"I have often thought about the possibility of fast-tracking teaching certification for career professionals and retirees.

"I agree it is important to maintain the quality standards included in No Child Left Behind. I also agree student teaching is essential in acquiring those hands-on skills necessary to teach.

"I am interested in looking for ways to encourage more career professionals to become teachers, especially math and science teachers.

"While I don’t want to compromise the highly qualified requirements placed on every teacher, I want to see if there are ways to prioritize the teaching requirements for certification so we have less of standard deviation, and more meaningful training."

Senator Roberts, a former teacher, is a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. He is the author of legislation to improve the quality of math and science education.