ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS: MEETING THE DEMAND FOR TEACHERS:
"In recent years, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have established alternative certification programs to help meet this challenge of finding and retaining teachers. But have these programs been successful?
School districts must constantly recruit new teachers due to turnover. According to a nationwide study by the Nebraska State Education Association:
Six percent of teachers leave the profession each year.
One-fifth of new hires quit teaching within three years.
In urban areas, 50 percent of educators quit after five years.
Education researchers Paul E. Peterson and Daniel Nadler found that many states' alternative certification programs require just as many college-level education courses as regular certification. As a result, these programs produce few new teachers. By contrast, less restrictive programs require fewer hours of instruction and produce more teachers.
According to the National Center for Alternative Education, the oldest and most established state programs -- in California, New Jersey and Texas -- produce the most new teachers.
Texas and California report that about one-third of their new teachers come from alternative programs. In New Jersey, it is about 40 percent."
"In recent years, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have established alternative certification programs to help meet this challenge of finding and retaining teachers. But have these programs been successful?
School districts must constantly recruit new teachers due to turnover. According to a nationwide study by the Nebraska State Education Association:
Six percent of teachers leave the profession each year.
One-fifth of new hires quit teaching within three years.
In urban areas, 50 percent of educators quit after five years.
Education researchers Paul E. Peterson and Daniel Nadler found that many states' alternative certification programs require just as many college-level education courses as regular certification. As a result, these programs produce few new teachers. By contrast, less restrictive programs require fewer hours of instruction and produce more teachers.
According to the National Center for Alternative Education, the oldest and most established state programs -- in California, New Jersey and Texas -- produce the most new teachers.
Texas and California report that about one-third of their new teachers come from alternative programs. In New Jersey, it is about 40 percent."
