PENNSYLVANIA With new law, schools fear lack of substitutes

Teachers must take classes to keep their licenses active.
HARRISBURG (AP) -- Some schools are already worried about a possible shortage of substitute teachers next year because of a state certification requirement that goes into effect in July.
Four years ago, a state law was enacted requiring teachers to complete 180 hours of continuing education within five years. Those who don't meet that requirement will lose the right to hold a full-time job in a public school and can only substitute teach 90 days of the year.
Getting the continuing education is harder for substitutes, who reap little financial benefit from sitting through 180 hours of professional development for which they aren't paid.
"I resent the fact that they are taking my certification away from me," said Susan Ault, who has been a substitute teacher for 10 years. "I worked a lot of years for that."
Instead of taking classes to keep her license active, she plans to find a new job. Some school districts are concerned many other substitutes may decide to do the same.
Possible shortage
Larry Schmidt, superintendent of the Palmyra School District, says he knows two employees who are scrambling to fulfill their professional development requirement. But he says the issue of substitute teachers is what really worries him.
"If they lose their certificates, then we could be in a real bind for substitute teachers," Schmidt said.
John Tarka, executive director of the Pennsylvania Federation of Teachers, said he's worried that the law could result in having more people with emergency teaching credentials head classrooms.
When Act 48 became law in July 2000, Pennsylvania had nearly 540,000 educators with teaching certificates, according to the state Department of Education.
So far, about 206,000 at least have begun to comply with the law. About 3,300 others who are not working full time in education have put their teaching certificates in inactive status, suspending the five-year time frame for fulfilling their professional development requirements.
But state officials said they don't think there is reason to panic.
"I don't think Act 48 will cause a shortage of certified teachers in the commonwealth," said Clifton Edwards, a program coordinator in the department's Bureau of Teacher Certification and Preparation.