A study of Tennessee certification standards for trade and industrial and health occupations teachers

The overall purpose of this study was to assess the adequacy of Tennessee's certification and employment policies for trade and industrial (T&I) and health occupations teachers and to make recommendations based on that assessment. To achieve this purpose, the study was divided into two separate and distinct segments: 1) a national study designed to provide a current state of the art relative to certification standards and employment policies in use in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 2) a state survey of currently employed trade and industrial and health occupations teachers and their local directors and/or superintendents to assess the adequacy of Tennessee's present certification requirements as perceived by each respondent group.

Data from the national study was based on each state's written certification policy and on returned questionnaires from a designated contact person within each state. Data from the state study was based on returned questionnaires from selected teaching and administrative personnel within the state of Tennessee.

Measures of central tendency, crosstabulations, and correlations, where appropriate, were the statistical methods employed for analysis.

Analysis of data yielded the following results:

National Study: Trade and industrial and health occupations teacher certification was required in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia at the secondary level but in only 30 states at the postsecondary level. Although there were no substantial differences between trade and industrial and health occupations teachers relative to certification policies, there were notable differences at both levels relative to employment policy. Health occupations teachers were more often required to have licensure, a higher minimum educational level for employment, and possess fewer years' work experience.

Most states required both their T & I and health teachers to have a high school diploma, licensure in the occupational field, and three to five years of work experience to be employed. The majority of states did not require an occupational competency examination nor a preservice training program prior to employment.

The majority of states utilized a blanket type certification policy whereby all teachers were required to meet essentially the same certification criteria. Overall postsecondary teachers were required to earn fewer coursework credit hours for full certification and fewer renewal credits than were secondary teachers. The majority of states specified continued certification once full certification had been earned. Approximately one-fourth of the states had provisions for permanent certification.

State Study: Tennessee secondary teachers and their local directors indicated satisfaction with the present certification requirements. They did, however, indicate certain professional development needs that were not presently being met under those requirements. Postsecondary teachers and their superintendents were not supportive of required certification for postsecondary personnel. They did, however, indicate a need for the development of certain professional skills.

Tennessee certification and employment requirements appeared to be relatively well aligned with those summarized from the national data.

Based on these findings, the following recommendations for improvement in Tennessee's certification policy were made:

1) strengthening the preservice requirement; 2) requiring an occupational competency examination; 3) separation of T&I and health occupations certification requirements; 4) issuance of a one year temporary teaching certificate; 5) alteration of the requirements and the routes used in obtaining full certification; and 6) required certification for postsecondary personnel.

Recommendations for future studies were also made.