Walker touts new alternative teacher licensing plan

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Gov. Scott Walker says he's just trying to give schools more opportunities to find teachers in high-demand areas with his new proposal to create an alternative track for people with real-life experience to get licensed to teach.

Walker told public school district administrators and school board members at an annual education convention Friday that nothing in his proposal would require them to hire those teachers if they don't want to.

Critics have said Walker's plan is faulty because it doesn't require those being licensed to have any instruction in effective teaching.

But Walker says he's trying to give a route for professionals who want to teach to take a competency test that would get them licensed and in schools quickly.

Walker first released his idea Thursday.