Noncertified Texas teachers show the sharpest retention decline, with fewer than 40% still teaching after 5 years¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2030: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Fewer than 40% of noncertified Texas teacher entrants remained in teaching after 5 years, 18 percentage points below the alternative certification retention rate. → Wojcikiewicz 2025

Evidence¶

Wojcikiewicz 2025¶

Wojcikiewicz, S. K., Ralph, K., Snyder, J., Bland, J. A., & Wechsler, M. E. (2025). Teacher residencies in Texas: Supporting successful implementation. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/630.675

q2 · i? · associational · r2

Report analysis of Texas retention data by pathway (Figure 1), comparing noncertified entrants with alternatively certified teachers over the 2019–2024 span. The report states "Fewer than 40% of noncertified entrants were still in teaching" after 5 years; no standardized effect size is printed.

"Fewer than 40% of noncertified entrants were still in teaching at the end of the same period, a figure 18 percentage points lower than the retention rate for alternative certification programs."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Teachers prepared through traditional certification pathways are retained at higher rates over 5 years than alternatively certified or noncertified Texas teachers — related
• Newly hired Texas teachers with standard or intern certificates declined sharply over the past decade while uncertified new hires became the largest category — related
• Districts' prior-year teacher turnover was negatively associated with certification rates, and certification rates tend to be higher where beginning teacher salaries are higher — related
• Five years after first licensure, 69% of traditional-preservice teachers remained in Texas classrooms versus 60% of alternatively certified teachers — related
• In Texas in 2023–24, 68% of newly hired teachers were underqualified or unqualified, teaching on intern certificates, emergency permits, or no certification — related
• Teachers who enter without completed preparation are typically less effective and have significantly higher turnover than prepared teachers — a broader claim this one bears on
• Alternatively certified teachers are 25% more likely to leave their schools and the profession, controlling for other factors — related
• In 2021–22, only 28% of Texas first-time teacher hires held a standard certificate; 57% held a substandard intern certificate, emergency permit, or no certification at all — related
• State-level percentage of uncertified teachers correlates negatively with NAEP state assessment performance (r from –.40 to –.63) — related