During the session, “What Superintendents Think” at the Texas Tribune Festival, the three Texas superintendents on the panel were asked about the increase in uncertified teachers (one third of new teachers hired in Texas in 2024 were uncertified) and Texas Education Agency commissioner Mike Morath’s comment before the state board of education that Texas schools districts had given up on hiring certified teachers and had moved to “hiring people off the street. … It’s as if district leaders say, ‘You have a heartbeat. Come on in.’” After defending the teaching ability of uncertified teachers in his district, Temple ISD Superintendent Bobby Ott flipped the question, asking and answering the question, “What is the state of Texas doing to recruit and retain teachers?” To read more of our coverage of education issues from the texas_tribune Festival and from the austincouncilpta journalism workshop at the Texas Capitol, please check out our photo essay, “Debates over education persist as l...