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Teacher Certification in Texas: District Strategies to Recruit and Retain a Credentialed Workforce

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Teacher Certification in Texas: District Strategies to Recruit and Retain a Credentialed Workforce
Language: English
Authors: Susan Kemper Patrick, Chazz Higginbotham, Ryan Saunders, Tiffany S. Tan, Steve Wojcikiewicz, Learning Policy Institute
Source: Learning Policy Institute. 2026.
Availability: Learning Policy Institute. 1530 Page Mill Road Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA 94304. Tel: 650-332-9797; e-mail: info@learningpolicyinstitute.org; Web site: https://learningpolicyinstitute.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 60
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Houston Endowment Inc.
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: Teacher Certification, Teacher Recruitment, Teacher Persistence, School Districts, Board of Education Policy, Educational Practices, Partnerships in Education, Geographic Regions, Equal Education, Student Characteristics, Intellectual Disciplines, Public Schools, Elementary Secondary Education, Incentives, Mentors, State Legislation
Geographic Terms: Texas
Abstract: Texas employs the largest teacher workforce of all states in the United States, and the state consistently posts teacher attrition rates higher than the national average. Texas schools have had to hire more than 40,000 teachers per year to replace those exiting. Enacted in 2015, the state's Districts of Innovation (DOI) policy allows participating districts to bypass certain state requirements, including regulations on curriculum, graduation requirements, and teacher certification. As of the 2025-26 school year, almost all traditional school districts were designated as DOIs and therefore could potentially hire uncertified teachers at the discretion of their school boards. As a result of high attrition, changes in certification policy, and declines in university-prepared teachers, Texas has experienced rapid growth in the number of uncertified teachers. As explored in this report, Texas districts varied widely in how much they relied on uncertified teachers to fill open positions. Given the average lower retention and effectiveness of uncertified teachers, this study identified districts with higher certification rates to understand their local context and policies. This study analyzed district-level data from the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years to examine whether students have equitable access to certified teachers and to identify contextual factors associated with higher certification rates. To illustrate how district policies, practices, and partnerships can support certification, this report then presents findings from interviews with district leaders in six districts with noted success in maintaining high certification rates and/or supporting their uncertified teachers to become certified.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED682320
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Texas employs the largest teacher workforce of all states in the United States, and the state consistently posts teacher attrition rates higher than the national average. Texas schools have had to hire more than 40,000 teachers per year to replace those exiting. Enacted in 2015, the state's Districts of Innovation (DOI) policy allows participating districts to bypass certain state requirements, including regulations on curriculum, graduation requirements, and teacher certification. As of the 2025-26 school year, almost all traditional school districts were designated as DOIs and therefore could potentially hire uncertified teachers at the discretion of their school boards. As a result of high attrition, changes in certification policy, and declines in university-prepared teachers, Texas has experienced rapid growth in the number of uncertified teachers. As explored in this report, Texas districts varied widely in how much they relied on uncertified teachers to fill open positions. Given the average lower retention and effectiveness of uncertified teachers, this study identified districts with higher certification rates to understand their local context and policies. This study analyzed district-level data from the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years to examine whether students have equitable access to certified teachers and to identify contextual factors associated with higher certification rates. To illustrate how district policies, practices, and partnerships can support certification, this report then presents findings from interviews with district leaders in six districts with noted success in maintaining high certification rates and/or supporting their uncertified teachers to become certified.