Texas kids lose up to 4 months of learning with new uncertified teachers, study finds

More students have educators without a state certification as Texas schools need to fill classrooms.

Students are losing out on months of learning as Texas becomes more reliant on uncertified teachers to fill vacancies, according to new research.

A study by Texas Tech University’s Jacob Kirksey examined the ramifications stemming from an explosion of uncertified teachers across the state.

Students with new uncertified teachers lost the equivalent of about four months of learning in reading and three months in math, Kirksey’s research found.

However, the data showed that if an uncertified teacher had previous classroom experience – such as working as a substitute – students performed on par with those taught by certified educators.