More than 3,800 uncertified teachers taught in Bexar County-area classrooms last school year, according to state data analyzed by KSAT Investigates.
The use of uncertified teachers comes as districts across Texas struggle to fill classrooms.
As part of KSAT Investigates’ “Dangerous Lessons” investigation earlier this year, we found Texas lost over 4,600 teachers between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years.
That shortage forced districts to compete for a limited pool of certified educators, particularly in hard-to-fill subjects.
“We’re all competing for that one or two math teachers amongst 15 or 16 districts,” South San Antonio ISD Superintendent Saul Hinojosa said.
South San ISD is among the districts that hired uncertified teachers, but Hinojosa said the district spent the past several years working to reduce that number.
“If we were to go to a doctor’s office, I don’t think anybody would be wanting to be operated on by a physician who doesn’t have that credential,” Hinojosa said.
Since the district has worked to decrease the number of uncertified teachers in classrooms, Hinojosa said the district has already seen improvements in subjects such as reading and math.
“We have already seen the impact of having better qualified staff this past year,” Hinojosa said. “It means that we’re on the right track. It means we’re making the right decisions.”
Requirements for Texas teacher certification
There are five requirements to become a certified teacher in Texas, according to the Texas Education Agency.
- Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree
- Complete an educator preparation program
- Pass certification exams
- Submit a state application after all requirements are met
- Complete fingerprinting and national background check
Where are uncertified teachers working?
The numbers show uncertified teachers made up about 3% of the more than 127,000 people who taught in Bexar County during the school year.
Data shows the reliance on uncertified teachers varied significantly from district to district.
Edgewood ISD had the highest rate of uncertified teachers in Bexar County during the last school year, with about one out of every five teachers lacking a state certification.
“We’ve been taking lots of measures to be proactive about it, but it’s nothing we didn’t foresee happening,” Edgewood ISD Superintendent Dr. Eduardo Hernandez said.
Hernandez said the district’s focus is on ensuring students still have quality educators in their classrooms.
“My attitude towards it is we still need a quality teacher in every classroom,” Hernandez said, “so how do we develop from within and then, of course, attract and retain teachers as usual.”
The use of uncertified teachers comes as districts across Texas struggle to fill classrooms.
Uncertified teachers lead to learning loss, research shows
Jacob Kirksey, an associate professor of education policy at Texas Tech University, has spent years researching the impact of uncertified teachers on Texas students.
“My research shows, on average, it links to learning loss of about three months in math and four months in reading for students,” Kirksey said.
He also raised concerns about what the increasing use of uncertified teachers could mean for the profession.
“If we legitimize the hiring of uncertified teachers,” Kirksey said, “what we’re doing is we’re essentially saying that just anyone from off the street can go in and lead a classroom of kids.”
“Is there a place in Texas schools for uncertified teachers?” asked KSAT Investigates reporter Daniela Ibarra.
“Yes, there is a place in Texas schools for uncertified teachers, but it is not in elementary classrooms,” said Kirksey. “It is not special education classrooms. It is not in kindergarten classrooms.”
Parents divided over uncertified teachers
KSAT asked viewers on social media to share their experiences with uncertified teachers and received hundreds of responses.
Some parents said they appreciate people who are willing to step into classrooms amid the teacher shortage, but believe educators teaching core subjects should be certified.
“I appreciate those willing to step into the classroom, but I believe educators teaching core subjects like math and science--especially in STEM schools-- should be certified,” commented Michele Rosales Resurez, who shared that her own daughter had an uncertified math teacher in middle school.
“To [the teacher’s] credit, my daughter liked the teacher,” Rosales Resurez added, “but many students struggled to meet expectations, likely due in part to the lack of consistency.”
Other parents defended the practice.
“A certification doesn’t define the teacher’s ability to teach,” commented Kirstin Butterworth. “Some ‘uncertified’ teachers even have higher test scores than seasoned ‘certified’ teachers.”
New certification requirements take effect
Texas law requires those teaching core classes to be certified by the start of the 2029-30 school year.
Starting this school year, Texas requires K-5 teachers who teach reading or math to be certified, unless their school district received an extension.
KSAT Investigates checked the state data and found that more than half of the school districts with schools in Bexar County received an extension.
- Boerne ISD
- Comal ISD
- East Central ISD
- Edgewood ISD
- Judson ISD
- Northside ISD
- San Antonio ISD
- Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD
- Somerset ISD
- South San Antonio ISD
- Southwest ISD
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.