Re "New Web site rates teachers' credentials," Feb. 5: California State University, Sacramento, professor Ken Futernick is to be commended for offering policy-makers more information about how well school districts place veteran and new teachers into their classrooms. Readers should know about another system to inform parents and schools of teacher credentials, one that was well under way when Gov. Gray Davis vetoed a measure similar to the CSU project because of cost concerns.
The California Teacher Credential Look-Up and Renewal online service at www.ctc.ca.gov provides user-friendly teacher credentialing information about all California public-school teachers. Additionally, parents whose children attend Title I schools are already being notified whether their child's classroom teacher meets the definition of "highly qualified" under the new federal education law.
As for AB 242, the goals of eliminating emergency credentials and ensuring all classroom teachers are fully qualified are not "pie in the sky," as Barbara Kerr asserts. While a tremendous challenge, California is well on its way to eliminating emergency credentials.
When numbers are released this spring, the state anticipates a drop in emergency credentials of about 18 percent. Teachers not meeting the federal definition will need to be in a program leading to a credential.
- Kerry Mazzoni, Sacramento
Secretary for Education