Report states Montebello Unified teachers are underqualified

A new report by EdSource stated that Montebello Unified School District teachers are more underqualified than most Southern California school districts. 

EdSource is a nonprofit organization and source of education research. 

The report found that half of the teachers employed by Montebello Unified don't have the proper credentials. 

CBSLA Reporter Tena Ezzeddine was in Montebello on Thursday and talked to some parents who said they aren't surprised by the report's findings. 

"Sometimes it feels like they're not learning anything, at all," Angela Rios said.

According to EdSource, just 48.5-percent of Montebello Unified teachers have appropriate credentials and training to teach students, compared to 83-percent of teachers in LA Unified.

Montebello Unified denied the numbers.

Ezzeddine asked for a response from the school district. The assistant superintendent said she would interview with us and said that more than 90 percent of the district's teachers are credentialed or authorized to teach. But the district would not interview or provide any records to back up its claims.

Rios has children in Montebello District schools, where she attended as a teen. She's noticed a difference.

"It's not a surprise I mean you can see it sucks because when I was coming here it was great. It was a wonderful school district," Rios said.

According to the report, Newport-Mesa Unified School District led the way for Southland schools with qualified teachers. Ninety-three point-five percent of teachers were credentialed and qualified, while Chino Unified trailed in second with 91-percent.