As Orange County Public Schools face a teacher shortage, a national organization is working diligently to certify aspiring teachers.

  • OCPS has more than 120 open teaching positions
  • American Board trying to get more teachers nationally certified
  • School district hosting job fair Thursday
  • BAY NEWS 9+, NEWS 13+ APPS UPGRADED: The new releases have a block-style layout that makes it easier to navigate, as well as an added section for Attractions Insider. A new weather section includes hour-by-hour forecasts and marine buoy data. Update your app today!

American Board is an alternative option some educators believe is necessary to create a larger pool of qualified teachers.

"As a teacher myself, it's one of the most important careers that a person can have, and it is an investment that the school district and community needs, because public education is there for everyone," said Grant Tedaldi, a Certification Specialist with American Board.

"It really is one of the greatest equalizer, but one that shapes and helps our community grow and our students develop," Tedaldi said.

Grant Tedaldi has been teaching in public schools for more than 10 years. That's one of the reasons why Tedaldi is passionate about helping teachers get certified.

"The goal of the American Board is to get certified teachers into the classroom and to keep certified teachers in the classroom," Tedaldi shared.

"In the workshops, trying to pass their GKT (General Knowledge Test) and they tell me, 'I'm currently a teacher and I'm about to lose my job because I cannot pass the GKT,'" said Judith Cardoza, who is an aspiring teacher.

However, teachers are in demand in Orange County.

There are currently more than 120 open teaching positions in subjects like English, math and science.

"One of the issues that we've had in hiring and in staffing in Central Florida is just a great amount of attrition due to retirement or people leaving the area. When that's combined with the growth that we've had, it's difficult to get enough teachers into the schools that we have," Tedaldi said.

American Board, which is a non-profit organization created by the U.S. Department of Education in 2001, boasts itself as an alternative for aspiring teachers.

"That would get them certified and be able to retain their jobs. It's something that I'm willing to share with everyone I come across," Cardoza said.

Tedaldi said the online program can certify a candidate in three to 10 months, turning them into qualified educators in communities where teachers are needed.

Orange County Public Schools is hosting a teacher job fair on Thursday, June 28 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Edgewater High School in Orlando.

OCPS plans to host an additional job fair in the near future.