The full Senate has approved a bill that would allow certified teachers who retired before July 1, 2020, to return to the classroom without losing their state retirement benefits. Senate Education Chairman Cleo Fields says he’s trying to alleviate a teacher shortage.
“When I entered Southern University, the largest department at the college was the department of education, today the smallest department is the department of education,” said Fields.
State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says the state is short about 25-hundred certified public school teachers. Fields says under his bill a retired teacher would have to wait 12 months before returning and local school districts would have to identify a critical shortage.
“Once they identify the critical shortage, they’ll have to be certified in the areas of math, science, English language arts, special education,” said Fields.
Bossier City Senator Barrow Peacock successfully amended the bill so that colleges can also re-hire retired nursing instructors over the age of 62 and with at least 30 years of service.
“They need qualified people who can teach our nurses, we need nurses not only for education, but for health care too,” said Peacock.
The bill still needs House approval before it goes to the governor for his signature.
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