Let Teachers Go Where They're Needed

Barely a month into the new academic year, public school districts across the U.S. are already running short of a critical asset: teachers. In response, some states have lowered the standards for obtaining a teaching license -- or eliminated the requirement altogether. There are better ways to help supply meet demand.

Turning over classrooms to non-credentialed, inexperienced teachers will do students more harm than good. The goal should be to raise standards, not abandon them. Policy makers should focus on subject areas where the need for qualified instructors is greatest, and on how to make it easier for teachers to take their credentials across state lines.