Educators Racing to Renew Licenses Before Deadline

(UNDATED) – Thousands of Indiana teachers are scrambling to begin renewing their professional teaching licenses before new rules state lawmakers approved this spring for the renewal process take effect July 1.

The impending modification advanced quietly through the Indiana General Assembly and was passed in April.

But it didn’t grab most teachers’ attention until the Indiana Department of Education sent out guidance in early May on how to meet the new requirements, sending teachers scrambling to action.

The Indianapolis Star reports that from May 1 to June 2, the department says 22,760 teachers had professional growth plans in process, compared with just 514 plans in process during the same time last year.

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick says she expects those numbers to climb through the rest of June.