Teacher (K-12) Certification - Mississippi
The history of teacher certification begins in the late nineteenth century. During this period a movement arose to “centralize state authority” for the certification of teachers (Angus, 2002, 9). At that time only three states (NY, RI and AZ) required all new teaching certificates to be issued by state authorities, but within three decades that number would rise to 38 states (Angus, 2002, 9). Teacher training and preparation developed during the 19th century, as more academies originated teacher preparation departments. During this time a struggle between the profession and government officials developed concerning who should have the most influence on the teacher certification process and requirements.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, led by states like New York, teacher certification requirements became more specific and complex. However, educators and legislators became more in control of teacher certification, whereas during the late 18th and early 19th century this role was relegated to clergy and parents. Known as “administrative progressives”, educators in the first half of the 20th century gained more influence over the whole of American education – including teacher certification (Angus, 2002, 19). Between 1898 and 1950 education and teacher certification requirements changed dramatically as educators and state officials became more involved in the process and education administration in general. As Angus (2002) notes, “State-level changes in the practice of certifying teachers were followed closely by the U.S. Office of Education, which issued increasingly detailed reports for the years 1898, 1903, 1911, 1921, 1927, 1935, and 1946” (19).
With respect to the state of Mississippi, teacher certification requirements for the state are among the harshest in the nation. Under the Mississippi Education Reform Act of 1982, the Commission on Teacher and