Ohio has experienced a nearly 40% increase in background checks for substitute teachers following the removal of the bachelor’s degree requirement. The Ohio State Board of Education is facing increased demands with fewer staff. Since 2020, several bills have relaxed certification requirements for substitutes, allowing schools to hire based on their own criteria. The number of background check requests has risen from 2,400 in the 2019-2020 school year to 5,200 in 2022-2023. Despite the changes, only 5.1% of Ohio teachers were found to be improperly certified, which is lower than the national average of 6.9%. Ohio ranks among the states with the fewest improperly certified educators.

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