Pandemic threatens jobs of thousands of teachers needing to pass state licensing exam to stay in classrooms

Pandemic threatens jobs of thousands of teachers needing to pass state licensing exam

TONIGHT -- 4 IN YOUR CORNER HASLEARNED THE CORONAVIRUS IS NOWTHREATENING THE JOBS OFTHOUSANDS OF FLORIDA TEACHERSWHO STILL NEED TO PASS A STATELICENSING EXAM TO STAY IN THECLASSROOM NEXT YEAR.THANKS FOR STAYING WITH US.

I’MJANE MONREAL.I’M PATRICK NOLAN.

AS in yourcorner INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERKATIE LAGRONE EXPLAINS -- WITHTESTING CENTERS SHUT DOWNBECAUSE OF THE VIRUSTHESETEACHERS FEAR THEY’LL MISS THEDEADLINE TO PASS THE TEST ANDKEEP TEACHING YOUR KIDS18-22THESE FLORIDA TEACHERS FEARTHEY’RE ABOUT TO LOSE THEIR JOBSOVER A DEADLINETHEY CAN’T MEETBECAUSE OF COVID-19.Group interview17:12- it would be devastating.(tears uto not be able to teach wheream right now.THAT’S BECAUSE THEY NEED TO PASSPORTIONS OF FLORIDA’S PASSPORTIONS OF THEY NEED TO PASSPORTIONS OF FLORIDA’S MANDATEDTEACHER CERTIFICATION EXAMBEFORE THE END OF THIS SCHOOLYEARBUT WITH TESTING CENTERS CLOSEDBECAUSE OF THE VIRUS--THEIRFUTURES ARE ALSO ON HOLD.Group interview7:25- everything kept gettingpushed back and pushed back.

Nowi;m not sure what’s happeningGroup interview4:35- all the tests that ischeduled prior between marchand april- they were allcancelledNIKOLE GOINS IS A SECOND GRADETEACHER AND STILL HAS 3 TESTS TOTAKE AND PASS BEFORE HERTEMPORARY TEACHING CERTIFICATEEXPIRES THIS SUMMERRESCHEDULING HAS CREATED A HOSTOF NEW PROBLEMS.Group interview4:50- i can take a test inseptember but how am i supposto that that for mycertification when it justexpired in july?IN APRIL, THE STATE STARTEDOFFERING THE EXAMS FOR FREE ASLONG AS EXAMINEES REGISTERED FORTHE TESTS BY THE END OF JULYTHEN TESTING CENTERS STARTEDCLOSING BECAUSE OF THECORONAVIRUSSOCIAL SCIENCE TEACHER DEMENIQUEHENDRIX MARTIN’S TEMPORARYTEACHER CERTIFICATE ALSO EXPIRESTHIS SUMME━BUT THE NEXT OPENAVAILABILITY TO TAKE ONE OF HERTESTS- SHE SAYS, ISN’T UNTILNOVEMBE━FIVE MONTHS AFTER HERTEMPORARY TEACHING CERTIFICATEEXPIRES.Solo interview with Demenique7:01- the free tests ispointless when you can’t get into take the tests.AS OF LAST WEEKMORE THAN26-THOUSAND TEST TAKERS HAVEREGISTERED FOR MORE NEARLY53-THOUSAND TEST━ACCORDING TOTHE STATE’S EDUCATIONDEPARTMEN━WHICH RECENTLYANNOUNCED TEACHING CERTIFICATESEXPIRING IN JUNEWILL BEEXTENDED BY ONE MONTH.6:04- it’s something out of ourcontrol(no face here)NOT ENOUGHSAYS THESE TEACHERS.12:26- we need more time to geteverything done.5:47- it’s very sad to thinthat my job is hanging by athread.Katie tagACCORDING TO A STATESPOKESPERSO━THE DEPARTMENT ISREVIEWING THE SITUATION ANDDISCUSSING FURTHER STEPS, WITHTHE INTENT OF BEING ASACCOMMODATING AS POSSIBLE ANDADDS ANY DECISIONS