Letter: Here's real reason for teacher shortage

The fault belongs to the state Department of Education's Commission of Professional Standards in Education (CPSE). It is that body that changes, revises or modifies regulations concerning who gets certified and who doesn't.

The rules imposed by the CPSE says that you can only be certified at the level where you either student-taught or have had three years of full-time experience at that level; to most that means certified at either the elementary or secondary level.

However, for the rest of us who are uniquely qualified to teach at both levels (in other states) we are frustrated by the unbending bureaucracy of the rules because Nevada school districts can't put us where we are needed the most; in my case it would be at the elementary level because of the need for male teachers at that level.

The good news is that CPSE is doing a two-year review of what works in other states and what can be applied to Nevada. While the review goes on the teacher shortage grows worse. Students will be put into crowded classrooms; teachers will no longer be able to work with individual students but teach strictly to the class; and the CPSE will continue to collect their paychecks.

What can be done about it? Write the governor and your representative and tell them to put pressure on the CPSE to change regulations concerning teacher certification.

Unless the CPSE changes the regulations concerning certification of out-of-state teachers, I know for certain the teacher shortage crisis will grow by at least one.

Guy Breshears, Spokane, Wash.

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