NCREL Policy Issues
Issue 12, November 2002
The Impact of Alternative Certification in the Midwest
Policy Issues Q and A
What is alternative teacher certification and why is it needed? Alternative certification allows individuals who typically (but not always) possess an undergraduate degree in a field other than education to participate in a shortened training and/or on-the-job learning experience that leads to full certification. Alternative certification programs have grown rapidly across the United States, in large part due to concerns about teacher shortages in specific subject and geographic areas.
Can alternative certification programs produce highly qualified teachers? Alternative certification has both supporters and critics. Supporters argue that the need for U.S. teachers in the coming years exceeds the capacity of traditional teacher education programs, and colleges of education have failed to provide the United States with a sufficient number of teachers who are well prepared and able to educate all of our students. Supporters also contend that alternative certification programs could do no worse than traditional, but inadequate, teacher education programs.
Opponents argue that concerns about massive teacher shortages in the near future are somewhat misplaced. Where shortages do exist, they appear to be specific to particular regions and subjects. Opponents also argue that, while many traditional teacher education programs could stand to be strengthened, many schools of education have moved toward more rigorous, standards-based approaches to teacher education. From this perspective, less preparation is hardly an answer to concerns about teacher quality.
What effects have alternative certification programs had on states in the NCREL region? All seven states in the NCREL region currently offer some alternative route to full certification, although not all of those routes are called "alternative certification." Over 15,000 teachers in the region have obtained their certification through alternative routes. Our survey of over 1,000 principals in the region found that about half the principals reported that they have had problems finding enough qualified teachers, and that alternatively certified teachers have been somewhat or very helpful in addressing the shortage. About three quarters of the principals rated the performance of teachers they had hired through alternative certification programs as equal to or above that of other new hires, but one-fourth rated the performance of alternatively certified teachers below that of other new hires.
What are some components of high-quality alternative certification programs? High-quality alternative certification programs set high standards for applicants and screen them carefully; include intensive instruction in pedagogy, curriculum, and classroom management; and include substantial supervision and support for teacher candidates. See www.ncrel.org/datause/tools/altcert.php for our Alternative Certification Evaluation Template.
