Sen. Schwank and Rep. Cepeda-Freytiz celebrate inclusion of non-U.S. citizen teacher certifications in schools

A significant milestone in Pennsylvania’s education system was celebrated Thursday on the steps of Reading High School, where Sen. Judy Schwank and Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz hosted an event highlighting the inclusion of non-U.S. citizen teacher certifications in the newly passed school code bill. This change is part of the 2024-2025 fiscal year state budget, aimed at addressing the critical teacher shortage in the state and promoting diversity in the classroom.

Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz opened the event with a passionate speech about the necessity of this legislative change. “Education means the world because investing in our children is a priority. I learned that here in Pennsylvania, for a teacher to obtain certification to teach, they must have U.S. citizenship. I found this to be absurd. It just didn’t make sense. We have a growing problem with teacher shortage, and a solution was literally at our fingertips,” she said.

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Rep. Cepeda-Freytiz emphasized the importance of this achievement, noting, “After six years, we made it happen. We are opening more doors and creating more pathways for members of our community to become certified teachers. We’re fostering more diversity, equity, and inclusion in our schools and in our classrooms. We’re keeping teachers here and not losing them to other states. We are also boosting our local economy and generating more opportunities for everyone in our commonwealth.”

Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Khalid Mumin speaks at the podium.

Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Khalid Mumin echoed these sentiments, stressing the dire need for educators. “Now, as we know across the nation, and here in Pennsylvania, we have been facing a critical educator shortage. The Shapiro administration, and our partners in the General Assembly, have been working hard to identify ways to foster and expand our teacher certification pipeline here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Initiatives like this play a critical role in the work that we do every day. Not only does it allow new teachers to enter the classroom, but it also helps increase educator diversity—something that is severely lacking. Even in a district like Reading, where more than 80% of the students are Latino, proper representation in our classrooms is missing. It is so powerful when students have the opportunity to learn from educators that look like them, come from where they come from, and can tell stories of success to encourage our learners to strive for greatness.”

Andrea Jeronimo, a graduate of Reading High School and Kutztown University, shared her personal journey and the significance of this legislative change. “Seven years ago, when I walked up these steps, I walked with fear because I never thought I could pursue a higher education due to my status. I was afraid of any repercussions to me or my family,” Jeronimo recounted.

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“I managed to receive higher education with the endless support of my family, and my four years at Kutztown University turned fear into motivation. With the encouragement of peers and professors, I found my voice to share my story because I realized I was not alone in this battle. For this upcoming school year, I hope to soon be in the classroom, nurturing children’s creativity and knowledge and advocating for them in any way I possibly can. Thanks to everyone who is here supporting this, I have a chance to decorate my own classroom sooner than expected.”

Sen. Judy Schwank concluded the event by discussing the legislative journey of the bill. “I want you to know the background on this. I didn’t just introduce a bill and then let it sit there. I went to meet with the majority Republican leaders of the Senate Education Committee. Also, the leaders of the party in the Senate itself, and they agreed it’s a great idea. It’s not controversial. Our schools could benefit from these folks’ talents, and if they had a valid status that allows them to work in the U.S., arbitrarily disallowing them from teaching just didn’t make any sense,” Schwank explained.

She also highlighted the political challenges faced, noting, “One lawmaker told me they agreed with all my points but feared that their constituents would not understand what the bill does and why we need to do it, and they wouldn’t support it as a result. They agreed it was good policy, but they feared that immigrants would provoke a political backlash. So rather than doing the right thing or trying to be persuasive and explain the issue to people who need to understand this, they decided to do the easy thing, which was nothing.”

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Berks Weekly
Berks Weekly
Berks Weekly is an independent and locally owned digital newspaper covering the City of Reading and Berks County. Download the mobile app: berksweekly.com/app
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