(The Center Square) – As the number of uncertified teachers has exponentially increased in Texas, with 52% of new hires now being uncertified, a Texas Education Agency dashboard provides information about how many uncertified teachers are teaching in public schools, where and in what subjects.
A new state law has required a reduction of uncertified teachers as the issue remains a primary concern correlated to student performance and school choice debates.
“Uncertified teachers are individuals who have a teaching assignment and who do not have any active teaching credential issued by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC),” the TEA explains. This includes “individuals with school district teaching permits and certification waivers.”
Several flexibilities have been “offered to certification requirements in Texas, including emergency permits, school district waivers, charter school flexibilities, and District of Innovation (DOI) policies. District-approved DOI plans may include exemptions from certain statuary provisions, including some teacher certification requirements. Districts that have approved DOI plans that include these exemptions are allowed to make hiring choices outside of the general certification requirements,” the TEA explains.
Certified teachers include “individuals with a standard, intern, probationary, one-year, provisional (lifetime), or Visiting International Teacher certificate, or emergency and JROTC permits.”
Included in TEA reports are certified and uncertified teachers employed at “Independent School Districts (including Consolidated and County Independent School Districts), Common School Districts, Open Enrollment Charters, Education Service Centers” among others.
Data is broken down by grades K-5, grade 6-8 and grades 9-12. Data evaluated by The Center Square is from the 2024-2025 school year.
By subject, the greatest number of uncertified teachers taught English, Math, Social Studies and Science in grades K-5 and in grades 6-8, according to the data.
Out of 34,300 K-5 English teachers, 9,000 were uncertified. Out of 27,500 K-5 Math teachers, nearly 9,000 were uncertified, according to the data.
Of more than 15,000 English 6-8 grade teachers, 2,500 were uncertified. Out of nearly 9,000 Social Studies 6-8 grade teachers, more than 2,000 were uncertified, according to the data.
In high school, the greatest number of uncertified teachers were teaching in the “other” category, Career and Technology, Health and Physical Education, English Language Arts and Reading and Math, according to the data.
Out of more than 15,600 high school English teachers, more than 2,300 were uncertified; out of nearly 14,000 Math teachers, 2,200 were uncertified, according to the data.
In some subjects, uncertified teachers represented nearly 17% of all K-5 teachers, nearly 35% of 6-8 grade teachers, and nearly 23% of high school teachers, according to the data.
By school district for the 2024-2025 school year, only 49 districts in Texas employed zero uncertified teachers. Roughly 600 districts employed 10 or fewer uncertified teachers; less than 200 districts employed between 10 and 20 uncertified teachers, according to the data.
For some schools, low teacher totals also meant high percentages; some small districts employed fewer than 10 teachers, with between half and all uncertified.
In 93 districts, between 50% and 100% of teachers were uncertified, according to an analysis of the data by The Center Square. Among them, six were rural, two were “Non-Metropolitan Stable” and the overwhelming majority were charter schools.
Three charter schools in Texas only employ uncertified teachers: Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies Stem School in Beaumont, Triumph Public High Schools-Lubbock and Reve Preparatory Charter School in Houston.
Nearly all teachers employed at two charter schools, Texas Empowerment Academy in Austin, and Houston Classical Charter School, are uncertified, 90% and 94%, respectively.
Between 80% and 89% of teachers at 17 charter schools in Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Richarson, El Paso and Edinburg are uncertified, according to the data.
Between 70% and 79% of teachers at 17 charter schools in Waco, Houston, Richardson, San Antonio, Edinburg, Austin, El Paso, Corpus Christi and Lubbock are uncertified, according to the data.
