Preparing Future Teachers: Is Alternative Certification An Option

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Preparing Future TeachersIs Alternative
Certification An Option?

• Sheila K. Ruhland, Ph.D.
• Assistant Professor
• Department of Work, Community and Family
  Education
• University of Minnesota
• St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
• 612-625-8250
• ruhla006_at_umn.edu

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Teacher Certification Options

• Baccalaureate Degree
• Fifth-year or Post-baccalaureate
• Work Experience
• Summer Programs
• Two-Year Colleges
• Teach for America
• Troops to Teachers

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Traditional Certification

• Defined
• Completion of a baccalaureate degree from an
  institutionally approved college of education
  teacher education program.

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Alternative Certification

• Defined -
• Applies to policies, programs, and practices
  designed to certify teachers who have not
  completed a baccalaureate degree in education.

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Alternative Certification Practices

• Nationwide
• Definitions vary by state.
• States vary from one to six alternative
  certification classes.
• Alternative routes contribute to one-third of new
  teachers hired.

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Waivers

• Defined
• Temporary, emergency permit, license or other
  authorization.
• Permits individual to teach in public schools
  without initial certification or license.

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State Certification Data - 2001

• Nationwide
• 4 states reported all teachers fully certified.
• 6 of the teaching force lacked full
  certification.
• 9 states reported more than 10 of teachers on
  waivers.
• 7 of CTE teachers on waivers.
• 45 states reported alternative certification
  routes.

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Debate Reasons for Alternative Certification

• Increases the pool of potential teachers.
• Attracts minority candidates.
• Increases number of teachers in urban or special
  settings.
• Streamlines the certification process.
• Reports higher teacher retention.

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Debate Reasons AgainstAlternative Certification

• Schools of education loose franchise.
• Response to No Child Left Behind Act.
• Closing the achievement gap.
• Improving teacher quality.
• Does not ensure mastery of essential knowledge
  and skills.
• Improves quantity but not quality.

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NRCCTE Research Project

• Data collected from
• a. State Departments of Education
• Personnel, and
• b. Career and Technical Education
• Teachers (certified between 1996
• and 2000).

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ResultsAlternative Certification Procedures

• Class A - Designed for individuals with a
  baccalaureate degree, involves a mentor.
• Class C - Reviews academic and professional
  background and transcripts.
• Class F - Provides emergency certificate or
  waiver.

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Results Professional Development Opportunities

• 67 Mentor Program
• 61 Workshops
• 45 Resource Centers
• 45 Professional Development Plan
• 42 Assistance with Curriculum
• 42 Orientation to School District Policies

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Results Career and Technical Education Teachers

• Status of teachers
• 94 teaching
• 3 left teaching
• Types of certification
• 47 baccalaureate degree education
• 18 fifth-year or post-baccalaureate
• 28 alternative certification
• 7 other

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Rating of Teaching Experience
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Pre-Service Preparation
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Rating of Factors to Continue Teaching
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Support Services Teachers Used
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Comparison of Intentions toContinue Teaching
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Policy Implications

• Finding and attracting the best and brightest
  teachers.
• Reducing current teacher certification systems
  numerous hurdles.
• Embracing alternative certification.
• Improving teacher quality in response to No Child
  Left Behind Act.

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As the debate continues

• There are vast numbers of educated,
  life-experienced individuals who want to
  teachThey are generally not aware of, or
  particularly concerned with the political debates
  about certification they just want to become
  teachers.
• Source Feistritzer, C. E. (2002). Alternative
  teacher certification New support and new
  urgency. National Council on Teacher Quality.

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Questions