Prospective teachers in North Carolina can face a long delay in getting hired. A recent audit shows it can take six months or more to obtain a teaching license.
A backlog in teacher licensure processing has kept some educators from being hired and prevented others from getting their full pay and benefits.
Education officials told a legislative oversight committee on Tuesday that improving customer service and processing times needs to be a priority. They say their goal is to approve licenses in six to eight weeks.
The News and Observer reports that the delays have impacted the ability of principals to hire teachers, and some are losing out financially while they are being paid less as substitutes.
The licensing delays have become a campaign issue, as some lawmakers say the problem should have been corrected a long time ago.