A candidate for a Kansas State Board of Education seat wants to make it easier for professionals outside the public school system to become teachers.

Overland Park Republican Steve Roberts argues that state policies place too much emphasis on ensuring that aspiring second-career teachers go back to college over quickly tapping their knowledge of subjects such as math and science.

Roberts is running for the open state board seat for the 2nd District, covering northern and eastern Johnson County. His opponent is Cindy Neighbor, a Shawnee Democrat and former Kansas House member who’s served 16 years on the Shawnee Mission school board.

Neighbor contends that Roberts underestimates the need for teachers to understand different teaching methods, classroom management, child development and basic child psychology.