The Maine Department of Education has adopted rules that will dramatically change certifications for teachers and ed techs. But the Legislature has the chance to change those rules and they need to hear from you.
Please write an email to members of the Education Committee asking them to amend the proposed rules. To send an email to the Education Committee, click here.
Here are the major problems with the rules adopted by the Dept of Education:
- The rules give superintendents too much control over the certification process for teachers. Instead of local certification committees, which are no longer required under the rules, the superintendent will have the control and authority to determine certification status of teachers. This is not acceptable and we worry some superintendents will use this as a way to circumvent job security for teachers.
- The rules fundamentally change certification for Ed Tech Is and IIs. In fact, the proposed rules eliminate nearly all requirements for Is and IIs and instead create a new category called “paraprofessionals.” If this change remains, Ed Techs will be placed in a precarious situation, and could see jobs eliminate or replaced with “paraprofessionals.” Paraprofessionals under the rules are not even required to have a high school diploma. What’s more, this change could have huge implications for retirement security for Ed Techs since Ed Tech IIs are in MePERS while Ed Tech Is are in social security.
- The rules allow new teachers to come into the profession with only work experience, and no teacher preparation work. This is troubling. We know we need more teachers to enter the profession but the solution is not to eliminate the standards for the profession.
