Illinois lawmakers are pushing once again for fewer tests to become a teacher.
Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, filed a new bill aimed at increasing the number of teachers by decreasing their testing requirements.
It would get rid of the teacher performance assessments, or "edTPAs."
Dr. Meghan Kessler teaches future teachers at the University of Illinois Springfield.
She says eliminating this test wouldn’t make it easier to become a teacher, but it would make it more accessible.
Studies show it can be biased toward underrepresented candidates.
"It's also very expensive, which can be prohibitive or at least just challenging for teacher candidates, and it's time-consuming," Dr. Kessler said.
This article appeared on WICS Newschannel 20 on Nov. 23, 2021.