New Program Will Qualify More to Teach

The state has openings for 600 teachers, and the Board of Education has come up with an alternative teacher certification program for eight counties to try to fill them. State lawmakers passed a bill that dropped the requirement of 18 college hours to six total hours to be eligible to teach through the alternative teacher program. That opens up the possibility of teaching to more people looking for a career change. Teachers still have to qualify by passing an exam. Among the counties applying for the program — Kanawha, Fayette, Nicholas, and McDowell counties.