Part Time Teaching Licenses: Connecticut

Analysis of Connecticut's policies

Connecticut does not offer a license with minimal requirements that would allow content experts to teach part time.

Recommendations for Connecticut

Offer a license that allows content experts to serve as part-time instructors.
Connecticut should permit individuals with deep subject-area knowledge to teach a limited number of courses without fulfilling a complete set of certification requirements.  The state should verify content knowledge through a rigorous test and conduct background checks as appropriate, while waiving all other licensure requirements.  Such a license would increase districts' flexibility to staff certain subjects, including many STEM areas, that are frequently hard to staff or may not have high enough enrollment to necessitate a full-time position.  

State response to our analysis

Connecticut recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis but noted that the Connecticut State Board of Education has proposed an "Adjunct Faculty Permit" that would allow a person employed by a higher education institution to teach in a K-12 setting on a part-time basis in an inter-district magnet school.

Last word

The Adjunct Faculty Permit appears to be a step in the right direction. The state should consider expanding this permit to include others with deep content-area expertise in addition to college faculty.