In a move some say could shake up traditional teacher-hiring practices, the Douglas County School District on Wednesday asked the state to let it create its own licensing program to more quickly bring nontraditional teachers into the classroom.
The district – which is already eyeing a pipe-fitter, Naval officer and instructors from China as potential teachers – said current state licensing regulations cut some of the most talented workers out of the teaching pool.
“It’s saying, ‘Here is somebody in the community who has real-world experience, but we can’t hire them because they’re not licensed,”‘ said Kristine Sherman, vice president of Douglas County’s school board.