As you are considering the best educational option for your children, the quality of the education is at the top of your priority list. Quality education requires quality teachers. In most public schools, teacher credential requirements are clearly stated in Arizona state law, but this is not the case with charter schools. If you are considering a charter school like AmeriSchools Academy for your children, here’s what you need to know about teacher credentials and requirements.

Certification Requirements

Arizona state law exempts charter schools from the laws that apply to regular public schools, except for those that protect the health, safety, civil rights, student accountability, criminal background checks, freedom of information and open meetings. This means that the schools are not required to hire state certified teachers.

That said, all charter schools must set qualifications for employees, including teachers, in their charter application. They also must maintain resumes for all employees that can be requested by parents and others. This level of accountability means most charter schools have trained teachers, even if they do not have current Arizona state licenses.

This freedom allows for professionals who have a degree outside of education, exceptional teachers who have recently moved to Arizona and other college-degreed individuals who may not have a teaching license can find teaching jobs at charter schools.

Fingerprinting Requirement

According to Title 15, Chapter 1, Article 8 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, a law sometimes called the “charter law,” all teachers or other professionals who may be in an instructing role within a charter school must have a valid fingerprint clearance card on file. All teachers will need to be fingerprint checked before employment.

What Does This Mean for Families?

What do these requirements mean for families who are considering charter education? First, it often means that exceptional teachers who would have otherwise slipped through the cracks due to delays in certification are able to provide quality education to students.

Second, these requirements allow teachers to take their focus off of maintaining state certification and focus instead on ensuring they are providing quality instruction to their students. This does not mean that the teachers are any less equipped or prepared than state certified teachers, and in fact many state certified teachers appreciate the charter school approach so much that they also choose to teach at charter schools.

As a charter school, AmeriSchools Academy is able to give teachers this freedom to focus on their classrooms instead of their certification. Learn more about our unique approach to education as you consider the best education opportunity for your children.