I met with someone at a local college that offers a certification-only program in addition to it's certification/degree combo. (I'd love to go back to school and get another degree, but there's the small matter of feeding my family to consider.)
The cost of the classes is roughly $15,000. That's about $15,000 I'll have to shell out for the privilege of taking a massive reduction in my current salary. And it gets worse: a portion of those courses is called "student teaching" during which I'll not only pay my tuition, but I'll also have to teach full time for 10 weeks without drawing a paycheck. That's right - somehow the rules say I have to pay to work full time. This is after I've already spent a semester as a full-time student taking the necessary classes, and during which I assume I'll have an equally difficult time generating income. This is basically the same deal offered by the other local college I visited, except their tuition to cover the certification-only option came close to $30,000, total. Although, to be fair, their class schedule was a bit more flexible (night classes) which would allow me to work while I took classes. But they were also careful to point out that holding another job while I performed the student teaching was strictly forbidden.
I asked my host how other people pay for this program and have enough money to live at the same time. She said many of them take out student loans and get other jobs to make ends meet.
I understand the need to qualify teachers, but this requirement seems like it does more to turn people away from teaching in the first place.
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