Every year, school leaders look to fill vacancies, and every year, strong teacher candidates are stopped short. Not by a lack of ability, but by inadequate preparation and support systems. These are candidates who’ve completed their coursework, student teaching, and demonstrated their commitment, only to be blocked at the finish line. In a moment when students need stability, support, and skilled educators more than ever, we’re losing talent we can’t afford to waste.
I’ve spent the better part of my career working with systems trying to support teacher pipelines. I’ve sat with district leaders wrestling with last-minute vacancies, talked with teacher candidates one step away from the classroom, and worked alongside organizations building smarter, fairer on-ramps into the profession.
If there’s one truth I keep coming back to, it’s this: supporting teacher candidates in navigating their licensure journey, especially the exam, is one of the most overlooked, high-impact strategies we have. And it’s also one of the clearest ways we can show future teachers that we believe in their potential and are committed to walking with them.
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