[NLA] Discussion: Does a license lead to legitimacy as a field?

[David J. Rosen]

NLA Colleagues,

Eileen Eckert wrote:

> On credentialing: College faculty are not credential as such (though 
> some are hired with credentials from the discipline--e.g., for faculty 
> of social work, an LCSW is required), and they enjoy the identity of 
> being a "field". What is the relationship between credentialing and 
> professionalization or legitimacy as a field? Is there a clear 
> relationship? And is it persuasive enough to give up local, 
> program-level control and flexibility in staffing?

If  legitimacy as a field means, as I think it should, parity with K-12 
in salary and benefits, I do not think there has been a direct cause and 
effect relationship between having an adult education teaching license 
and legitimacy as a field.  I am not aware of any state where, as a 
direct and sole result of having an adult education teaching credential, 
salaries and benefits for adult educators have become comparable to K-12 
for those who hold the license.  (I would like to know of a state where 
this is the case, but when I have posed this question over the years, no 
one has been able to provide me with a solid example of this.) 
Legitimacy as a field may include credentialing, but legitimate salaries 
will require leadership from adult education administrators in state 
education departments and other state agencies responsible for adult 
education and literacy, from adult education program directors, and from 
organized labor.  Unless there is a reasonable expectation of a fair 
return on their investment, adult education teachers should not be 
required to be licensed.

I do not know why the myth is widespread among adult educators that an 
adult education license or certification, in itself, will bring 
equitable salaries and benefits.

David J. Rosen
<DJRosen at theworld.com>



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