Research consistently demonstrates that teachers are the greatest in-school predictor of student learning, and teachers’ potential impact on student learning grows as they gain more experience. Although the percentage of experienced Texas teachers has increased slightly in recent years, over one-third of Texas teachers have zero to five years of experience. These novice teachers are more likely to be assigned to teach the pre-K-12 students of greatest need: students from low socio-economic backgrounds and students of color. Additionally, the demand for teachers is increasing, with public schools in the state adding 6,274 teaching positions from 2019–20 to 2020–21. The increased demand for teachers, coupled with teachers’ immense potential effect on student learning makes teacher preparation imperative for both educational policy and practice. Understanding each phase of the teacher preparation and certification process is essential to build a more diverse and effective teaching workforce.
