Dept. of Education Has 541 Non-Certified Educators, Sparking Debate on Educational Standards

With 541 non-certified educators, lawmakers express concern over the potential impact on educational quality in the U.S. Virgin Islands

There are 541 non-certified teachers providing instruction to students across the U.S Virgin Islands, a number that dwarfs the mere 366 certified educators in the territory, a revelation that troubled lawmakers this week.

Senators on the Committee on Education and Workforce Development discussed the issue for several hours during their meeting on Monday. According to information from Education Commissioner Dionne Wells-Hedrington, principals continue to report a “high percentage” of teachers and administrators who are either not certified or not up to date with their certification. It’s a reality that remains “very troubling” for the commissioner, who explained to lawmakers that while the Department of Education continues to provide opportunities for teachers to become certified, “people are not utilizing the platform as much as we would like.”

Under typical circumstances, teachers who choose not to become certified would be released from service. However, with the ongoing teacher shortage, every educator–certified or not–is desperately needed. Compounding the human resource deficit are the 126 educational professionals who currently qualify for retirement, Dr. Wells-Hedrington noted.