Bills to Watch: Accepting out-of-state certifications for teachers in Maine
LD 67, “An Act to Increase the Number of Educational Professionals by Accepting Out-of-state Certification,” sponsored by Rep. Vicki Doudera, would do exactly what its title entails.
The measure would require the Maine Department of Education to accept out-of-state certificates for administrators, teachers, educational technicians and educational specialists issued by other states, U.S. territories and other countries as qualification to obtain the equivalent certificate in Maine. The bill likely aims to ensure it is as easy as possible for schools to find adequate staff to fill vacant positions, an issue many schools and school districts have struggled with since the pandemic.
But why stop at teachers and other school employees–shouldn’t this same logic be expanded to most of the licensing regimes maintained by state government? If someone has already obtained licensure or certification in another state, it makes little economic sense to force them to jump through arbitrary and duplicative hoops here in Maine simply to obtain the government permission slip they already obtained in another jurisdiction.
Rep. Doudera’s proposal is a no-brainer, though it could be even more effective if its scope was expanded to encompass more regulated professions and industries.
The full text of LD 67 can be read below.
The Legislature referred the measure to the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee on January 4. A public hearing has not yet been scheduled.