© Trisha Crain/al.com/TNS The Gordon Persons Building in Montgomery, Ala., is home to the Alabama State Department of Education.

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Alabama state officials on Thursday demanded better certification pass rates from the state’s future teachers and those who prepare them.

Wayne Reynolds, a former superintendent, said he was alarmed about a state report showing 53% of Alabama’s elementary teacher candidates passed the Praxis certification on their first try.

“Fifty percent is not impressive to me,” Reynolds said at a regular monthly meeting of the state Board of Education. He is vice president of the board.

Read more from the Ed Lab about teacher quality:

The first-attempt pass rate was reported by the Alabama Commission on Evaluative Services in September as part of a larger look at enrollment at the state’s teacher preparation programs

ACES sourced those rates to research by the National Council on Teacher Quality that evaluated first-attempt pass rates based on test results from 2015 through 2018.

Reynolds and other board members keyed in on the overall 53% pass rate and the wide range of first-attempt pass rates from the state’s 14 public universities, also published in the report.

State education officials responded by saying while low, the reported rate doesn’t necessarily reflect efforts from Alabama students and future teachers.

Alabama Superintendent Eric Mackey said the pass rates published in the report includes students who aren’t actually enrolled in an Alabama college but chose to have their results sent to that college or to the state department of education.

And some students might not be putting their full effort into that first round of taking the test, Huntingdon College Dean of Education Carolyn Corliss said, because her college pays for students to take the test once.

Deanise Peacock, who leads the teacher testing area at the state department of education, said the test for which the pass rate was published contains four subtests. One each for English language arts, math, science and social studies. A teacher would have to pass all four subtests to count as having passed the test.

But students might take the four subtests the first time simply as a matter of cost.

“Their thought process is to take the bundle. It’s a lower price,” Peacock said. And if they fail to pass one of the subtests, they can take just that test again.

“Which is a fine strategy, but it also hurts the numbers here.”

According to NCTQ, Alabama’s walk away rate – the percentage of test takers that never took the test again after failing on a first attempt – was between 22% and 25% for each of the four subtests for all students. Students of color had higher walk away rates: Between 33% and 37% of students of color didn’t take the test a second time after failing on their first attempt.

Peacock instead provided examples of individual pass rates on each of the four subtests, claiming the low overall passage rates masks much higher individual test passage rates.

An Alabama Education Lab look at NCTQ’s data found that Alabama was one of 16 states to require the same Praxis test, an elementary multiple subjects test. Of those 16 states, first-time pass rates ranged from 34% in New Jersey to 57% in Virginia.

Alabama’s 53% first-time pass rate was the third highest of the 16 states, behind Virginia and Idaho. That was not included in the ACES report.

Board members took education officials, including some deans of the colleges of education in attendance, to task, asking what action will be taken to Excellerate those first-attempt pass rates.

“Some deans focus on open enrollment,” Reynolds said. “They take everybody because they want equal opportunity, which is fine. But somewhere along the line with open enrollment, there has to be some discretion, and some guideposts to allow people to progress. And so that they don’t end up in our classroom as substandard teachers.”

Corliss told board members they now require pre-service teachers to be tutored prior to taking the Praxis for the first time.

Peacock said she talked with test publisher Educational Testing Service earlier in the week, after the published rates were brought to her attention, to try and find a better way of recording and reporting the data.

College officials can review the data monthly, she said, and remove results of test takers who are not enrolled at the college.

Katie Kinney, president of the Alabama Association for Colleges for Teacher Education, told AL.com the limitations of the first-attempt pass rate and what it measures means it isn’t useful in helping increase the quantity or quality of elementary teachers.

“We want data to inform continuous improvement for our programs,” Kinney said, “but first-time attempt pass rate data aren’t the data to aid us in that work.”

©2022 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit al.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Clarkson's Department of Education is excited to announce the offering of a new teacher certification extension that will extend your NYS Teaching Certificate.

This Coordinator of Work Based Learning Program Extension to your teaching certification will enable you to place students in a variety of work-based learning activities such as career exploration internships and cooperative and community-based work experience programs. Paid work experience outside the classroom is also required. Completing all requirements prepares you to apply to the NYSED for one of the following extensions:

BUS 574 Work Based Learning - Organization of your Program

This is the first of two courses that, when successfully completed, enable you to apply for an extension to your New York State Teacher Certification and allow you to place students in a variety of work based learning experiences including, internships, community based work experiences and cooperative work experiences. courses include: Cooperative Education as a plan of instruction, qualifications, roles, and duties of Work-Based Learning coordinators, making students job-hunt ready and interview smart, decreasing dropout rates with Work-Based Learning, aligning Career and Technical Education with technical skills, evaluation of Work-Based Learning programs, laws governing the employment of minors in NYS. This course is offered during the summer, online in conjunction with BUS 575.

Prerequisite: Valid New York State certification.

BUS 575 Work Based Learning - Operating your Program

This is the second of two courses that, when successfully completed, enable you to apply for an extension to your New York State Teacher Certification and allow you to place students in a variety of work based learning experiences including, internships, community based work experiences and cooperative work experiences. courses include: implementation of Work-Based Learning programs, structuring cooperative plans, development of steering committee & advisory board, student selection & placement, legal & illegal aspects of Work-Based Learning programs, work-site & training station selection plan, cooperative program documentation, as well as student preparation in sexual harassment & workplace safety training, integrating Career-Technical Student Organizations, techniques for effective supervision, program promotion, review, & accountability measures. This course is offered during the summer, online in conjunction with BUS 574.

Prerequisite: BUS 574 Work Based Learning - Organization of your Program.

Enterprise IT architect certifications appear most often at the apex of certification programs, where less than 1% of IT professionals ultimately ascend. Even so, many IT architect certifications are available, and you don’t need to invest in one certification sponsor’s vision to reach the top.

Many IT certifications in this area fall outside vendor umbrellas, which means they are vendor-neutral or vendor-agnostic. Nevertheless, the number of vendor-specific IT certifications exceeds vendor-neutral ones by a factor of more than 2 to 1. That’s why we devote the last section of this article to all such credentials, as we encountered them in search of the best enterprise architect certifications.

For IT pros who’ve already invested in vendor-specific certification programs, credentials at the architect level may indeed be worth pursuing. Enterprise architects are among the highest-paid employees and consultants in the tech industry.

What do enterprise architects do?

Enterprise architects are technical experts who are able to analyze and assess organizational needs, make recommendations regarding technology changes, and design and implement those changes across the organization.

How much does an enterprise architect earn?

The national average salary per SimplyHired is $130,150, in a range from $91,400 to a whopping $185,330. Glassdoor reports $133,433 as the average. Ultimately, the value of any IT certification depends on how long the individual has worked and in what part of the IT patch.

How do I become an enterprise architect?

Becoming an enterprise architect is not easy. While the requirements may vary by employer, most enterprise architects have a bachelor’s degree or higher in a computer-related field along with 5-10 years of professional work experience. Many enterprise architects obtain additional certifications past graduation.

Why should I get certified?

Certifications are a great way to demonstrate to prospective employers that you have the experience and technical skills necessary to do the job and give you a competitive edge in the hiring process. Certification holders also frequently earn more than their uncertified counterparts, making certifications a valuable career-building tool.

Which certifications are the best?

Below, you’ll find our top five certification picks. Before you peruse our best picks, check out the results of our informal job board survey. Data indicates the number of job posts in which our featured certifications were mentioned on a given day. The data should give you an idea of the relative popularity of each of these certifications.

Job board search results (in alphabetical order, by certification)

AWS Certified Solution Architect

Making its first appearance on the leaderboard is the Certified Solutions Architect credential from Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS, an Amazon subsidiary, is the global leader in on-demand cloud computing. AWS offers numerous products and services to support its customers, including the popular Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2). AWS also offers numerous cloud applications and developer tools, including Amazon Comprehend, Amazon SageMaker Batch Transform and Amazon Lightsail.

AWS offers certifications at the foundation, associate and professional levels across five role-based categories: architect, developer, operations, cloud and specialty certifications. Foundation-level certifications validate a candidate’s understanding of the AWS Cloud and serve as a prerequisite to AWS specialty certifications. Foundation certifications are a recommended starting place for those seeking higher-level credentials.

Associate credentials typically have no prerequisites and focus on technical skills. They are required to obtain professional-level certifications, which are the highest level of technical certification available. Specialty certs, meanwhile, focus on skills in targeted areas.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate 2019

AWS currently offers the following credentials:

• Foundation credentials: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
• Associate credentials: AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate, AWS Certified Developer and AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
• Professional: AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional and AWS Certified DevOps Engineer
• Specialty: AWS Certified Advanced Networking, AWS Certified Big Data and AWS Certified Security

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect credential is available at the associate and professional levels. The associate credential targets candidates with at least one year of experience architecting and implementing solutions based on AWS applications and technologies. AWS updated the associate-level test in February 2018 to include architecture best practices and new services.

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional certification targets senior AWS architects who can architect, design, implement and manage complex enterprise-level AWS solutions based on defined organizational requirements. Candidates should have a minimum of two years’ direct experience deploying and designing on the AWS cloud and be able to translate organizational requirements into solutions and recommend best practices. The associate credential is a mandatory prerequisite.

AWS Certified Solution Architect facts and figures

CTA: Certified Technical Architect

In 1999, Salesforce revolutionized the world of CRM when it introduced the concept of using the cloud to provide top-notch CRM software. Today, Salesforce has more than 150,000 customers, making it the industry leader for CRM enterprise cloud platforms. Currently, Salesforce offers solutions for various focus areas, including sales, service, marketing, commerce, engagement, community, productivity (Quip), platform and ecosystem, integration, analytics, enablement, internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence, mobility, and industry (financial and health).

To meet industry needs for qualified and experienced professionals with the skills necessary to support its growing customer base, Salesforce developed and maintains a top-tier certification program. It offers many paths to candidates, including for administration, app building, architecture and marketing.

Salesforce Architect certifications are hierarchical, with most (but not all) lower-level credentials serving as prerequisites for more advanced credentials. At the top of the certification pyramid is the highest credential a Salesforce professional can earn – the Certified Technical Architect (CTA), which is our featured Salesforce certification.

The Salesforce Architect certification pyramid has three levels:

• Specializations: These form the bottom tier of the pyramid. Salesforce offers eight specializations, four of which support application solutions, while the other four support system solutions. Application specializations include certifications for Data Architecture and Management Designer, Sharing and Visibility Designer, Platform Developer I, and Platform App Builder. System specializations include Development Lifecycle and Deployment Designer, Identity and Access Management Designer, Integration Architecture Designer, and Platform Developer I credentials.
• Domain Architect: There are two Salesforce Domain Architect credentials: the Certified Application Architect and the Certified System Architect. The Certified Application Architect designation targets professionals with expert-level knowledge in Salesforce product functionality and features, while the Certified System Architect credential focuses on governance, integration and testing. Both credentials require the candidate to first earn their corresponding specialization certifications in addition to meeting other requirements.
• Technical Architect: The Certified Technical Architect (CTA) is the highest Salesforce credential available. CTAs are experts in all Salesforce domains and possess skills necessary to design, build and implement Salesforce platform solutions. To earn the CTA, candidates must first obtain both the Certified Application Architect and Certified System Architect credentials or pass a single exam. Candidates must meet experience requirements and pass a rigorous board review, which validates their knowledge and skills in Salesforce competency areas, such as communication, development lifecycle and deployment planning, integration, solution architecture, data, security, and systems architecture.

Salesforce requires CTAs to maintain current skills. Credential holders must pass maintenance module exams with each new product release cycle (typically in summer, winter and spring). While challenging to earn, the CTA is important for IT professionals who are serious about a Salesforce technologies career.

CTA facts and figures

ITIL Master Certificate – IT Service Management

One of our favorite credential sets (and for employers as well, judging by job board numbers) is the ITIL for IT Service Management credentials from Axelos. Axelos is a global provider of standards designed to drive best practices and quality throughout organizations. ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) joined the Axelos family in 2013.

Axelos manages ITIL credentialing requirements and updates, provides accreditation to Examination Institutes (EIs), and licenses organizations seeking to use ITIL. In addition to ITIL certifications, Axelos offers credentials for Prince2 2017 (which includes Foundation, Practitioner and Agile qualifications), Prince2 Agile, Resilia, MSP, MoP, M_o_R, P30, MoV, P3M3 and AgileSHIFT.

ITIL is a set of well-defined and well-respected best practices that specifically target the area of IT service management. There are more than 2 million ITIL-certified practitioners worldwide. ITIL is perhaps the most widely known and globally adopted set of best practices and management tools for IT service management and support.

ITIL Foundation (2011): Complete course and 2 practice exams

Axelos maintains a robust ITIL certification portfolio consisting of five ITIL credentials:

• ITIL Foundation: An entry-level credential that validates general ITIL knowledge, including terminology, concepts, elements, services lifecycle and ITIL processes
• ITIL Practitioner: A steppingstone credential for the Intermediate credential that tests a candidate’s ability to use ITIL principles within their business organization
• ITIL Intermediate: An industry-recognized qualification with a modular structure, each module focusing on a different aspect of IT service management
• ITIL Expert: An expert-level credential for candidates who possess broad ITIL knowledge that covers the entire ITIL scheme
• ITIL Master: The highest ITIL credential from Axelos, targeting professionals who recommend and implement ITIL best practices

Axelos introduced ITIL 4 in early 2019. ITIL 3 practitioners should check the Axelos website frequently for updates about the transition to ITIL 4 and availability of the ITIL 4 transition modules.

The ITIL Master is the pinnacle ITIL certification, requiring experience, dedication, and a thorough understanding of ITIL principles, practices, and techniques. To gain the ITIL Master designation, candidates must have at least five years of managerial, advisory or other leadership experience in the field of IT service management. They must also possess the ITIL Expert certification. Once the skill and certification requirements are met, the real certification work begins.

Upon completing the prerequisites, candidates must register with PeopleCert, the sole approved Axelos Examination Institute, and submit an application. Next, candidates prepare and submit a proposal for a business improvement to implement within their organization. The proposal submission is followed by a “work package,” which documents a real-world project that encompasses multiple ITIL areas.

The work package (1) validates how the candidate applied ITIL principles, practices, and techniques to the project; and (2) documents the effectiveness of the solution and the ultimate benefit the business received as a result of the ITIL solution. Finally, candidates must pass an interview with an assessment panel where they defend their solution.

Axelos will soon be sponsoring 50 lucky people in their quest to obtain the ITIL 4 Master certification. You can register your interest in the program here.

ITIL Master facts and figures

TOGAF 9

A leader in enterprise architecture, The Open Group’s standards and certifications are globally recognized. The TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework) standard for enterprise architecture is popular among leading enterprise-level organizations. Currently, TOGAF is the development and architecture framework of choice for more than 80% of global enterprises.

TOGAF’s popularity reflects that the framework standard is specifically geared to all aspects of enterprise-level IT architectures, with an emphasis on building efficiency within an organization. The scope of the standard’s approach covers everything from design and planning stages to implementation, maintenance, and governance.

The Open Group offers several enterprise architect credentials, including TOGAF, Open CA, ArchiMate, IT4IT and the foundational Certified Technical Specialist (Open CTS).

The Open Group reports that there are more than 75,000 TOGAF-certified enterprise architects. At present, there are two TOGAF credentials: the TOGAF 9 Foundation (Level 1) and TOGAF 9 Certified (Level 2). (The TOGAF framework is currently based on version 9.2, although the credential name still reflects version 9.)

The TOGAF 9 Foundation, or Level 1, credential targets architects who demonstrate an understanding of TOGAF principles and standards. A single test is required to earn the Level 1 designation. The Level 1 test focuses on TOGAF-related concepts such as TOGAF reference models, terminology, core concepts, standards, ADM, architectural governance and enterprise architecture. The Level 1 credential serves as a steppingstone to the more advanced TOGAF Level 2 certification.

The TOGAF 9 Certified, or Level 2, credential incorporates all requirements for Level 1. Level 2 TOGAF architects possess in-depth knowledge of TOGAF standards and principles and can apply them to organizational goals and enterprise-level infrastructure. To earn this designation, candidates must first earn the Level 1 credential and pass the Level 2 exam. The Level 2 test covers TOGAF concepts such as ADM phases, governance, content framework, building blocks, stakeholder management, metamodels, TOGAF techniques, reference models and ADM iterations.

Candidates wanting a fast track to Level 2 certification may take a combination exam, which covers requirements for both Level 1 and 2. Training is not mandatory for either credential but is highly recommended. Training classes run 2-5 days, depending on the provider and whether you’re taking the combined or single-level course. The Open Group maintains a list of approved training providers and a schedule of current training opportunities on the certification webpage.

TOGAF 9 facts and figures 

Zachman Certified – Enterprise Architect

Founded in 1990, Zachman International promotes education and research for enterprise architecture and the Zachman Framework. Rather than being a traditional process or methodology, the Zachman Framework is more accurately referred to as an “ontology.” Ontologies differ from a traditional methodology or process in that, rather than focusing on the process or implementation, they focus on the properties, types and interrelationships of entities that exist within a particular domain. The Zachman Framework ontology focuses on the structure, or definition, of the object and the enterprise. Developed by John Zachman, this framework sets a standard for enterprise architecture ontology.

Zachman International currently offers four enterprise architect credentials:

• Enterprise Architect Associate Certification (Level 1): Candidates must attend a four-day modeling workshop and pass a single exam. The workshop covers key concepts relating to enterprise architecture and the Zachman Framework, case studies, engineering vs. primitive models and manufacturing vs. composite models, and hands-on experience building Framework models. The workshop fee ($3,499) includes the test and certification fees for Level 1 and Level 2.
• Enterprise Architect Practitioner Certification (Level 2): Architects must submit case studies of primitive and composite models that address specified management issues. Case studies must pass a referee review.
• Enterprise Architect Professional Certification (Level 3): Candidates must complete a case study demonstrating primitive (architectural) and composite (implementation) models and complete a referee review. Level 3 credential holders may advertise themselves as “Zachman consultants.”
• Enterprise Architect Educator Certification (Level 4): Designed for educators, this credential prepares candidates to develop and teach the Zachman Framework. To earn this credential, candidates should go through all educational materials related to the Zachman Framework, develop their own curricula and course materials, and present those materials for review and approval. While this is not required, Zachman recommends that Level 4 candidates obtain the Level 3 Professional designation.

Zachman credentials are valid for three years. To maintain these credentials, candidates must earn continuing education credits (referred to as EADUs). The total number of EADUs required varies by certification level.

Zachman Certified – Enterprise Architect facts and figures

Beyond the top 5: More enterprise architect certifications

The Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA) is a great credential, especially for professionals working with Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from PMI continues to appear in many enterprise architect job descriptions. Although the PMP is not an enterprise architect certification per se, many employers look for this particular combination of skills.

Outside of our top five vendor-neutral enterprise architect certifications (which focus on more general, heterogeneous views of IT systems and solutions), there are plenty of architect-level certifications from a broad range of vendors and sponsors, most of which are vendor-specific.

The table below identifies those vendors and sponsors, names their architect-level credentials, and provides links to more information on those offerings. Choosing one or more of these certifications for research and possible pursuit will depend on where you work or where you’d like to work.

<td”>EMC Cloud Architect Expert (EMCCAe) <td”>GoCertify </td”></td”>

These architect credentials typically represent pinnacle certifications within the programs to which they belong, functioning as high-value capstones to those programs in many cases. The group of individuals who attain such credentials is often quite small but comes with tight sponsor relationships, high levels of sponsor support and information delivery, and stratospheric salaries and professional kudos.

Often, such certifications provide deliberately difficult and challenging targets for a small, highly select group of IT professionals. Earning one or more of these certifications is generally the culmination of a decade or more of professional growth, high levels of effort, and considerable expense. No wonder, then, that architect certifications are highly regarded by IT pros and highly valued by their employers.

Choosing the right IT architect credential

Enterprise architect credentials will often be dictated by choices that your employer (or industry sector, in the case of government or DoD-related work environments) have already made independent of your own efforts. Likewise, most of the vendor-specific architecture credentials make sense based on what’s deployed in your work environment or in a job you’d like to occupy.

Though there are lots of potential choices IT pros could make, the real number they can or should make will be influenced by their circumstances.

Recently, Amy Barnhill, a University of Houston-Victoria professor of curriculum and instruction, presented information about a statewide pilot program for teacher certification and its implementation at UHV.

Barnhill attended a session of the Texas Education Agency’s State Board for Educator Certification. The board invited five education experts from across the state to present the results of its edTPA pilot program that has been used to assess teacher education programs. Barnhill attended the meeting in order to give an update on UHV, which is one of 40 programs participating in the pilot.

“Texas has been looking for a new way to assess educators, and these review sessions are a way for the board to listen to education professionals and decide if the project should move forward,” Barnhill said. “I am pleased to be part of the group that was invited to present information about UHV’s program experience with the board.”

This is not the first time that Barnhill has worked with the TEA to promote and Excellerate education in Texas. In 2019, she coordinated an effort contracted by the TEA to review lesson plans and add them to a free online database called the Texas Lesson Study Professional Development program.

“UHV is proud to be a part of this pilot program to support and Excellerate teacher education and preparation in Texas,” said Rachel Martinez, dean of the UHV College of Education & Health Professions. “Dr. Barnhill’s expertise in education curriculum and previous experience working with the TEA makes her the perfect individual to present this information.”

According to the TEA website, edTPA is an assessment and support system that is based on performance and is subject-specific. The system is used to emphasize, measure and support the kinds of skills and knowledge that educators need. In the program, potential teachers prepare portfolios that reflect the work they do in their classrooms and how their students performed during the teachers’ clinical or internship experiences.

During her presentation, Barnhill shared how UHV has successfully used the pilot program during the past two years. The university saw an increase in performance from the first year to the second year of the program, and the university was able to make some adjustments to the program based on the results, she said.

“UHV had a lot of participants in the pilot program, so we were able to collect a lot of good information about the program and how it worked when it was implemented,” Barnhill said. “It’s great to see TEA reaching out to experienced teachers and educators to listen to their feedback. It shows that they are working to make the best decision for education in Texas.”

Only eight employees in the Louisiana Department of Education will process some 36,000 applications for teacher certification this school year, Superintendent Cade Brumley told the Senate Education Committee. (Canva image)

The Louisiana Department of Education will receive some 36,000 applications for teacher certifications this year, ranging from first-time educators to those who want to become principals or specialize in certain fields. But with only a few full-time employees handling those requests, the state’s top public education official said reducing a backlog will remain a challenge.

Superintendent Cade Brumley appeared Monday before the state Senate Education Committee to share details on why certifications take up to two months to approve. He told lawmakers the department’s certification staff has been reduced from 16 employees in 2011 to just eight currently.

“We’re moving pieces on the chess board all the time to accommodate, but there are only so many people to do the work,” Brumley said. 

The limited manpower means each certification specialist has to review an average of 300 applications a week to keep pace with the number coming in, Deputy Superintendent Jenna Chaisson said.   

Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, who chairs the committee, asked Brumley why the education department didn’t budget for additional personnel in the certification program. The superintendent said cuts to administration didn’t allow for new hires, although he added the department is in the process of onboarding four part-time workers for certification.

Chaisson attributed the glut of applications to a combination of factors. They include the lapse of certification renewal extensions given because of COVID-19 and new certifications in areas such as algebra, geometry, dyslexia and sign language. 

The backlog has stretched the certification approval process to about 65 days for some applications, according to Chaisson. Before the pandemic, they could be processed within 10 to 15 days.

Brumley said there are more than 7,000 certifications awaiting approval, but Chaisson said school systems are able to request priority status if they have a teacher candidate they are ready to hire.

Another delaying factor lawmakers explored was the need for two criminal background checks for prospective teachers and certificate applicants. Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, said the legislature might want to consider changing state law to require just one.

Despite the difficulties, Brumley reported to the committee that the number of teaching vacancies at Louisiana public schools has been cut in half over the past year – from 2,520 in 2021 to 1,203 this year. He credited the reduction to local school systems tapping into federal incentives for new hires, a pay raise the governor and legislature supported, and teachers who left classrooms during the pandemic returning to work.

The superintendent said his department intends to hire a consultant to look at how its certification program could be run more efficiently. He expects technology upgrades to be among the recommendations along with adding more personnel – the same suggestion made when a consultant conducted a similar review in 2020.

The post Superintendent blames Louisiana’s teacher certification backlog on lack of manpower appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.

Physician colleagues often ask me what the future holds for lifestyle medicine and whether they should pursue board certification. My short answer to the second question is "Yes, absolutely!" But first I share why I am confident that lifestyle medicine will become a foundation of all health and healthcare and that clinicians should prepare for it.

Cate Collings, MD

There is increasing recognition among policymakers and health leaders of the unsustainable costs — in human suffering and the $4.1 trillion spent on US healthcare in 2020 — of lifestyle- and diet-related chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. COVID-19 and the worse outcomes associated with underlying chronic conditions contributed to awareness of just how sick Americans have become. The pandemic also shone a light on health disparities related to underlying lifestyle-related chronic disease prevalence and insufficient healthcare resources in many communities. Lifestyle medicine offers a promising path to narrow the health disparities gap.

Notably, for the first time in 50 years, the White House hosted a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September, with the goal to "[e]nd hunger and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030, so that fewer Americans experience diet-related diseases."

This growing recognition that we must reduce lifestyle-related diseases and prepare future and practicing clinicians to address the root causes of those diseases will ideally accelerate the US transition to high-value care. Lifestyle medicine leverages behavior changes in nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, social connections, and use of risky substances as the first and primary way to treat many conditions, with medications and procedures as adjunctive treatment. It supports the Quintuple Aim of improved outcomes, lower costs, improved patient satisfaction, and improved provider satisfaction and has the potential to address health equity.

There is a strong case that value is precisely what lifestyle medicine can deliver, and this paves the way for paradigm change.

Health systems are increasing recognizing this value. The Health Systems Council, a collaborative community of health systems interested in integrating lifestyle medicine founded by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) in May 2021, already has more than 70 health system members. Accountable care organizations with a focus on lifestyle medicine have been created to help providers sustainably implement lifestyle behavior interventions. Even the US military is incorporating lifestyle medicine into its medical care for service members.

Momentum is growing for embedding lifestyle medicine into undergraduate medical education and build a new physician workforce tailored to current and future times. In November 2021, Rep. James McGovern introduced House Resolution 784, a resolution that passed the House supporting activities to ensure that health professional training programs, including medical schools, residency programs, and fellowships, incorporate substantive training in nutrition and diet.

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville is the first school to integrate lifestyle medicine into all 4 years of its curriculum. The Lifestyle Medicine Education Collaborative, a collection of open-access lifestyle medicine curricular resources developed there, provides a curriculum that other medical programs can integrate. Medical students have a hearty appetite for lifestyle medicine, and lifestyle medicine interest groups (LMIGs) for medical and other health professions students have exploded from a single campus in 2009 to 95 LMIGs today.

As of September 1, ACLM's Lifestyle Medicine Residency Curriculum (LMRC), a comprehensive curriculum piloted in 2018 that prepares residents to make evidence-based, lifestyle behavior interventions, is being implemented in 200 residency programs across 96 sites, with 1190 faculty and 4185 residents.

Lifestyle medicine education for physicians who trained 10 or more years ago may have consisted only of a few hours of learning about abject nutrient deficiencies and general suggestions to inspire patients to "exercise more" and "eat better." That's why I strongly urge practicing clinicians to pursue certification in lifestyle medicine. Education and certification will modernize their practice to meet current healthcare system needs.

As health systems or practices embrace lifestyle medicine and work within value-based contracts or population health goals, clinicians prepared with lifestyle medicine tools and knowledge will be valued and sought. More and more physicians and other clinicians are pursing board certification. Since 2017, 2004 US physicians and 778 other health professionals have certified.

Physicians are certified by the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine (ABLM). There are two pathways for physicians to qualify to take the exam. One is the experiential pathway for physicians who are already board-certified by a medical specialty board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties or the American Osteopathic Association. Those physicians must be primary board-certified and have practiced medicine for at least 2 years before qualifying to take the ABLM exam.

 The other emerging pathway is educational. Physicians who complete the LMRC through a residency site are eligible to sit for the certification exam, though certification will not be issued until the physician successfully passes the primary board exam.

To prepare for the board exam, ACLM provides a catalogue of on-line courses for continuing medical education as well as a lifestyle medicine board review course. In addition, ACLM recently became a content provider to Ed Hub, the American Medical Association's online learning platform. And the annual ACLM conference is a learning and networking event in the journey towards board certification.

The healthcare landscape is shifting rapidly. Transformative changes are occurring, and I am confident that lifestyle medicine will be at the forefront to address our alarming trajectory of chronic disease and its associated misery and financial impact.

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