BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Military personnel and their spouses who have a valid teaching license from another state are now eligible to teach in the state of Louisiana thanks to the passing of House Bill 472.
Up until Aug. 1, 2023, military personnel and their spouses who had teaching certificates from other states could not teach in the state of Louisiana, which made it difficult for military personnel and spouses who are educators to secure employment in their field. The time it takes to procure a Louisiana teaching certificate can vary depending on multiple factors, which can include training, exams, paperwork filing, fees, and more. This new bill will alleviate those challenges for service members and their families.
House Bill 472 was signed on June 1, 2023, and gives the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education the ability to grant military family members with out-of-state licenses a valid five-year teaching certificate. In order to attain the certificate, the candidate must complete other requirements aside from the application which include a background check and a criminal history review.
“The passing of this bill opens the door for even more military spouses to hold professional careers in our community when they join Team Barksdale,” said Col. Scott Weyermuller, 2nd Bomb Wing commander. “It is mutually beneficial for both our Airmen and the community as qualified spouses who have already obtained a teaching license will be able to help fill teacher gaps in our local schools much quicker.”
Part of the military lifestyle is moving every few years, which can make it difficult for spouses who hold professional licenses to get jobs in their field when they move to a new state. Military spouses are often required to undergo additional training, pay fees, and submit lengthy paperwork in order to obtain a valid license in a different state. This new bill will mitigate those hurdles and in turn help the state of Louisiana with their teacher retention and recruiting efforts.
In April 2023, 2nd BW leadership met with Dr. Burmley, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education, and leaders from Bossier City School District to discuss various education challenges military families face as a result of moving so often. One topic of discussion was teacher license reciprocity for military spouses. The significant presence of service members and their impact in the state of Louisiana highlighted a need for change in legislation.
“License reciprocity is an ongoing challenge for military installations across the United States and so we are incredibly grateful for Bossier City Schools and the Louisiana Department of Education's partnership in helping get this bill passed,” said Weyermuller. “There's still work to do in the realm of license reciprocity for our military spouses, but this is a big step in the right direction.”