New program aims to address teacher shortage

Option+9+was+approved+by+the+Kentucky+House+of+Representatives+in+April+2022.+%28Dionte+Berry%2FThe+News%29

Option 9 was approved by the Kentucky House of Representatives in April 2022. (Dionte Berry/The News)

Jill Smith, Staff Writer

Dean of Education and Human Services Dave Whaley said he plans to bring an expedited bachelor’s degree and teaching program to campus, the Option 9 Alternative Teaching Certification program to Murray State’s College of Education and Human Services, if approved.

The Option 9 Alternative Certification Program is an expedited route to obtain a bachelor’s degree and initial certification in teaching within three school years, according to the Kentucky Department of Education website. 

This program, from House Bill 277 introduced by Rep. Walker Thomas, went into effect July 14. 

This program still has to be approved by the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) The Northern Kentucky Tribune reports. Last year, 1,800 teaching positions went unfilled in Kentucky, which maintains an average turnover rate of 17%. 

As a board member of the Western Kentucky Educational Co-op, Whaley said this program will help school districts in the region fill these teaching positions. The board meets monthly with superintendents in the region.

“I think the most troubling discussions that we get into have to do with teacher shortages,” Whaley said.

The program is designed for classified employees who currently hold a position in a school system that doesn’t require certification, according to the Kentucky Department of Education website. 

During his Sept. 9 Board of Regents presentation on this program, Whaley said approximately 33% of teachers quit teaching within the first three years and 50% quit within the first five years. 

“Teaching is a very complex task,” Whaley said. “Not only does a teacher need to know how to teach, but they need to know how to work with a class, how to deal with 20 or 30 individuals.” 

The Christian County School District reached out to Whaley about this program after some of their employees showed interest in earning their degree in education. 

With this program, classified employees are still required to work while earning their certification. To avoid conflicts, Whaley is exploring online classes for those enrolled in the Option 9 program. 

Currently no Option 9 programs that been approved for the state. Whaley said Murray State, as the only university to take advantage of this new certification program, is ahead of other universities in Kentucky when it comes to researching Option 9.

Individuals at Christian County and Carlisle County schools are currently compiling resumes and transcripts of classified staff interested in the program. Whaley said they will then determine the number of applicants and preparation levels for the program. 

Whaley said once all the approvals are in, they will start the program immediately. 

The EPSB must approve the program at Murray State before students can enroll. 

Whaley said he is working with Veteran and Military Student Success Coordinator AJ Cunha to offer the Option 5 alternative certification program to the University. 

Option 5 is specifically for military veterans, with at least six years of eligible service and an honorable discharge, to earn a teaching certificate. 

Whaley said this certification program is very unusual. 

“The military veteran doesn’t necessarily have to have a degree in order to become a teacher,” Whaley said. “If [military veterans] don’t have their degree, what they’re required to do is to pass the teachers test for content, the Praxis exam.” 

Currently, the only approved alternative certification program at the University is Option 6.  

Option 6 is for individuals who have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a non-teaching major and are interested in attaining initial teacher certification. For example, an individual with a degree in biology could utilize this program to become a biology teacher.  

Option 9 still needs to go through the approval process before students can enroll in the program.