Arizona Board Of Education To Change Math Testing Amid Teacher Shortage

By Katherine Fritcke
Published: Tuesday, March 29, 2016 - 5:52pm
Updated: Wednesday, March 30, 2016 - 8:05am
(Illustration by Lauren Loftus - KJZZ)

Arizona is facing a shortage of math teachers, especially for middle school and lower-level high school classes. In an effort to hire eligible educators, the state board of education is changing the way those teachers are tested. 

Potential lower-lever teachers will not be tested on subjects like trigonometry and calculus. However, the state has added a supplemental exam from California to help cover Arizona standards in algebra and geometry. 

Associate Superintendent Cecelia Johnson said the additional test will help assess teachers coming from a different curriculum background. 

“Those people that are sometimes teaching another content area. And we have the shortage, So you can also teach algebra and geometry if you’re able to pass the algebra and geometry math test,” she said. 

Johnson said those who wish to teach upper-level math will continue to take the current Arizona math test. She said the board is expected to implement a new comprehensive test in the fall.