Lack of credentialed teachers a harsh reality.

The following editorial appeared in the San Jose Mercury News on Monday, June 30:

X X X

In an ideal world, every student would learn from competent teachers. Uncle Sam has tried to legislate that ideal by requiring that public school teachers meet higher standards to earn credentials, and thus become ``highly qualified'' by 2005-06.

But the ``No Child Left Behind'' law leaves many details unattended. It demands that teachers be credentialed, but doesn't say what to do when there simply aren't enough of them _ which there aren't, and won't be anytime soon, in California.

The law was signed in January 2002, but the feds have been slow to ...