(Des Moines, IA) — Teachers who go through an Iowa college program no longer have to pass a professional exam to be licensed, thanks to a new state law that eliminates the so-called Praxis requirement for new teachers. The test is a particular obstacle for dual-language immersion programs because it’s only offered in English. But the Praxis test will still be required for teachers coming to Iowa from outside the U-S, which is a major drawback for schools that rely on teachers from Spanish-speaking countries. Rebecca Gomez leads a Spanish-immersion program at Pella Christian, where many of the teachers are native Spanish-speakers from outside the U-S. She says taking and retaking the Praxis can add months to the process of bringing in a new teacher on a visa.
