Why Teacher Certification Matters

By Tom Joyner, Chairman/Founder, Tom Joyner Foundation & Reg Weaver, President, National Education Association

Another generation is slipping away, so let's just get to the point: We've got to do a better job of getting more fully certified teachers at urban schools, so that the students at these schools get a better education. In the long run that means more students staying in school, graduating from high school and going to college. It comes down to this: If we want to continue to keep this nation as one of the world's leaders, we've got to do more to provide teachers with all the tools and resources they need to succeed in the classroom.

That's why the National Education Association and the Tom Joyner Foundation have partnered for the second time to do something to make a difference. We're offering $1.1 million in scholarships to minority teachers as part of the "Teacher Certification Scholarship Program" to prepare them to pass state licensing exams. By working together, we can ensure that our diverse students -- and teachers -- are able to aggressively compete in the 21st century.

We know there are thousands of talented, energetic and hard-working teachers in this nation who just haven't had a chance to complete the certification process, in many instances, because of lack of money. It's wrong to let dreams be dictated by dollars. So we are working to make the situation right by giving teachers the opportunity to complete their certification at 10 participating historically black colleges and universities (HBCU).

The NEA and Tom Joyner Foundation have looked at the research. There are more than 150 studies and reports that have shown that certified teachers provide a better quality education to their students. The studies show that students achieve higher testing results and deeper learning. Teachers are able to better create a greater variety of lesson plans and better adapt to their students' learning needs. They are even more inclined to stay in the profession longer than those without certification.

We also know that there is a desperate need for certified teachers in urban school districts. This is backed up by U.S. Department of Education statistics that show schools in high poverty districts have fewer qualified teachers.

Some school districts have suggested moving under-prepared teachers to affluent schools and placing better qualified teachers in urban settings to correct the imbalance. But we say that's not good enough, and we know that's not going to last. Instead, we're committed to making all teachers better.

NEA and The Foundation are raising the stakes by making sure teachers are more prepared to guide urban students to academic success and steer them toward college -- perhaps even an HBCU! The relationship with HBCUs is particularly significant because the Foundation has raised more than $55 million over the past 10 years to help keep students in these colleges. By involving black colleges, we are affirming their role of providing a nurturing and positive environment for African-American students.