The Potential Impact of the Removal of a Middle Grades Licensure Band on Ohio’s Teacher Education Majors

In 1998 Ohio replaced a comprehensive Grades 1–8 teacher license with separate licenses for grades PreK-3 (comprehensive) and 4-9 (dual subject). This change allowed teacher candidates to develop a deeper understanding of the content, curriculum, instructional strategies, and assessment techniques specific to the grade levels and contents included in their licensures. Recent legislation (Ohio House Bill 33) contained a provision to replace the early and middle grade bands with a comprehensive PreK-8 license. In this article, we examine the potential impact of this legislative change through a detailed survey of preservice teachers, highlighting their concerns and the broader implications for teacher preparation in Ohio.