Alternative Teaching Master’s Programs Approved
By LISA W. FODERARO
Published: April 20, 2010
RelatedThe New York State Board of Regents voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a pilot program that would allow educational groups like Teach for America to create their own master’s degree programs, a role long reserved for education schools.
Alternate Path for Teachers Gains Ground (April 19, 2010)
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The Regents move reflects the difficulty of placing teachers in low-income communities, as well as a growing recognition of the effectiveness of alternative paths to teaching. In the federal education grant program called Race to the Top, points are given to states that provide “high-quality pathways for aspiring teachers and principals” including “allowing alternative routes to certification.”
Currently, programs like Teach for America, which recruits heavily among recent college graduates, and New York City Teaching Fellows, which attracts young professionals seeking to change careers, must partner with education schools. Participants begin teaching almost immediately, pursing a master’s degree in their free time at education schools.
In New York, a teacher must earn a master’s degree within five years. Under the pilot, the Regents will invite organizations like Teach for America to create their own master’s degree programs. The programs would need to have a strong emphasis on practical teaching skills, a nod to criticisms that traditional education schools spend too much time