(The Center Square)- The San Jose Unified School District is considering adopting a resolution allowing the district to use emergency permits due to insufficient candidates for certificated teachers.
The Board of Education is declaring an insufficient number of certificated teachers to meet the district’s requirements, now the Board of Education requests emergency permits for those who do not hold valid teaching credentials, according to documents from the Aug. 22, 2024, Board meeting.
The resolution for a “Declaration of Need for Fully Qualified Educators” would allow the district to issue emergency permits to people meeting the district’s employment criteria and request the California Commission authorize the emergency permits. The agenda item also states the district has been in contact with multiple colleges and universities to find and recruit those with the needed credentials for various needs and is asking for the declaration to be valid from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
District documents show fewer positions and fewer students when compared to previous years. Student enrollment and positions held in the district have seemingly been declining since the reported 31,539 students enrolled and 3,122.39 positions held in the 2016-17 school year, compared to the reported 25,392 students enrolled and 2,671 positions filled throughout the district in 2023-24, according to district documents.
The San José Unified schools have been aided by the voter-approved parcel tax known as Measure Y, which provides the schools with over $4 million annually in local funding.
According to the school’s website, the tax helps the school maintain and improve its academics and college readiness programs and retain and attract new teachers and staff.
The average teacher salary for the district ranges from $92,260 (elementary school teacher) to $97,010 (high School teacher), according to Teacher.org, which compiles salary information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The district did not reply to an email seeking comment.
