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Qualifications and Assignments of Alternatively Certified Teachers: Testing Core Assumptions

Florida State University

Thomas M. Smith

Vanderbilt University

By analyzing data from the Schools and Staffing Survey, the authors empirically test four of the core assumptions embedded in current arguments for expanding alternative teacher certification (AC): AC attracts experienced candidates from fields outside of education; AC attracts top-quality, well-trained teachers; AC disproportionately trains teachers to teach in hard-to-staff schools; and AC alleviates out-of-field teaching. Although there are some differences in the backgrounds of alternatively and traditionally certified teachers, the findings suggest that AC programs have not substantially changed the pool from which new teachers are drawn. Findings further indicate that AC programs do not attract a disproportionate number of candidates to teach in difficult-to-staff schools, nor are they effective means for solving the problem of out-of-field teaching.

Key Words: Schools and Staffing Survey • teacher certification • teacher education • teacher quality

American Educational Research Journal, Vol. 44, No. 3, 732-753 (2007)
DOI: 10.3102/0002831207306752


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