A comparison of vocational teacher certification requirements for business and office educators in the ten western region states of the Western Business Education Association

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the vocational certification requirements in each of the ten states in the United States belonging to the Western Business Education Association. The sources of data for this study were obtained from telephone conversations and information received from state offices of education in each of the ten states surveyed. The survey population consisted of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. When all the information had been received, responses were compiled and analyzed. The results were then set up in tables for clarity. A written description and an analysis of the data supplement the tables. The conclusions were: 1. Certification agencies and state offices of education recognized that certification of teaching personnel has an important role in the continuing growth of their educational system. 2. Certification agencies and state offices of education recognized that certification of vocational teachers is important in order to maintain high standards in the total educational environment. 3. Many states feel that occupational work experience is an important vehicle for relating firsthand knowledge of the world of work to students in the classroom. 4. States differ in the requirements of the number of credit hours that teachers should take. 5. All states feel completion of a Bachelor's degree at an accredited institution is an important requirement for initial certification. 6. Most states differ in types of certificates issued, validity of certificates issued, and the amount of application fees charged for certificates. 7. Some states do allow reciprocity with other states allowing a teacher who is certified to teach in one state to teach in another state. 8. A few states have begun using a competency exam as a requirement for initial certification. Some of the recommendations were: 1. It is recommended that the business and office education programs at the college/university level in Montana keep up-to-date certification bulletins in their departmental libraries in order to advise those students who plan to pursue a teaching career outside the state of Montana. 2. It is recommended that business and office education programs at the college/university level in Montana stress occupational work experience as part of the undergraduate programs. 3. It is recommended that the state of Montana become a member state in the Interstate Certification Reciprocity Compact in order to help standardize certification requirements among participating states.