Alternative Certification

Professor Nicholas M. Michelli stands outside the Graduate Center City University of New York in midtown Manhattan. Mr. Michelli, who took part in New York's teacher-preparation-review process, believes the state should have intervened more strongly.
Professor Nicholas M. Michelli stands outside the Graduate Center City University of New York in midtown Manhattan. Mr. Michelli, who took part in New York's teacher-preparation-review process, believes the state should have intervened more strongly.
Mark Abramson for Education Week
Teacher Preparation N.Y. College's Experience Shows Conflicts Around Ed. School Closures
New York state's decision not to close an education school that had received a searing 2006 accreditation review has left unanswered questions as well as possible lessons.
Stephen Sawchuk, December 16, 2014
12 min read
Teacher Preparation Teach For America Facing Recruitment Challenges
Teach For America may fall 25 percent short of demand for its teachers, the organization said in a memo to partner districts.
Stephen Sawchuk, December 15, 2014
1 min read
Teach For America corps member Jessica Haskell teaches math to children at Scott Montgomery Elementary School in Washington in 2007.
Teach For America corps member Jessica Haskell teaches math to children at Scott Montgomery Elementary School in Washington in 2007.
Christopher Powers for Education Week
Teacher Preparation Opinion The Anti-TFA Protests Are Misguided
Critics like United Students Against Sweatshops should applaud Teach For America, not bash it, former Milwaukee schools chief Howard Fuller writes.
Howard Fuller, December 9, 2014
5 min read
School & District Management Higher Academic Standing Seen Among Recent New York Teacher Hires
New York is drawing more of its teachers from the top-third of scorers on the SAT exam, and fewer from the bottom third of the pool.
Stephen Sawchuk, December 8, 2014
2 min read
Teacher Preparation Diversity on the Rise Among TFA Recruits
TFA's newest corps is its most diverse ever, with fully half identifying as people of color.
Stephen Sawchuk, August 11, 2014
2 min read
School & District Management Two on TFA: Studies Examine Cluster Placements and Older Novices
Two recent studies on TFA examine facets of the program. One continues to find that recruits boosted math scores in Miami schools, although they didn't seem to have much effect on their peer teachers. Another finds that older recruits are more likely to stay in the profession.
Stephen Sawchuk, June 19, 2014
3 min read
Teacher Preparation Alternative Certification Deemed Weak by NCTQ in New Teacher-Prep Report
The Washington-based group contends that alternative certification suffers from low standards and poor training, just like its traditional, university-based brethren.
Stephen Sawchuk, June 17, 2014
7 min read
Teacher Preparation Teach For America to Pilot Yearlong Teacher Training, Retention Efforts
Teach For America will pilot an extended teacher-preparation experience, and efforts to retain more of its corps members.
Stephen Sawchuk, March 4, 2014
5 min read
Teacher Preparation Teach For America: We Support the Common Core
TFA goes on record to support the common-core standards.
Stephen Sawchuk, December 18, 2013
1 min read
Teacher Preparation Education Researcher Moves Into Certification Business
Teach-Now dispenses with traditional unit-based courses. Instead, candidates complete eight units ranging from assessment to student learning in a digital era.
Stephen Sawchuk, October 8, 2013
2 min read
Federal U.S. ED To Collect Data on Alternative-Certification Patterns
Federal education officials want to gather information on where teachers in alternative-certification programs are located.
Stephen Sawchuk, September 13, 2013
2 min read
Teacher Preparation TFA Teachers Shown to Boost Secondary Math Learning
In what opens new questions about how selective alternative programs work, a random-assignment experiment shows that students taught by secondary TFA teachers outperformed their peers.
Stephen Sawchuk, September 11, 2013
6 min read
Teacher Preparation Study: Teachers In Selective Alternative Routes Match, Exceed Peers
A new study examines how teachers in selective alternative-route programs stack up against their peers.
Stephen Sawchuk, September 10, 2013
1 min read
Teacher Preparation Walton Expands TFA Grants With $20M More
The Walton Foundation re-ups its support for Teach For America.
Stephen Sawchuk, July 31, 2013
1 min read