California's cultural and linguistic diversity are remarkable assets for the state. In particular, bilingualism is linked not only to economic growth, but also to improved health, social empathy, educational attainment, community cohesion, and civic engagement. Harnessing this potential depends upon the educational success of California's more…

As districts and schools struggle with persistent teacher shortages, many states have attempted to bolster the supply of teachers by loosening credentialing requirements or implementing fast-track programs that quickly bring new teachers into the classroom, often without student teaching or robust coursework about how to teach. Some states,…

Teacher residencies represent important opportunities to address teacher shortages while improving teacher preparation. Viewed as highly effective pathways by program graduates and their employers, residencies also provide robust financial and educational support, enabling them to attract diverse candidates who stay in teaching. California has…

This book presents a validated observation instrument to support and further develop the pedagogic expertise of teachers of English Learners in US schools. Based on sociocultural and second language teaching and learning theories, the Observation Protocol for Academic Literacies (OPAL) has a variety of uses across teacher preparation programs,…

This report is drafted with state leaders and policy makers in mind, including those who work with or support these education leaders. The information shared in this report will likely be most relevant to states that have either not yet considered a new data system on teacher preparation providers, are only now starting to consider the idea, or…

Using the USAID-funded South Sudan Teacher Education Project (SSTEP) as a case study, this paper examines the emerging guidance on the conflict-sensitive design and implementation of teacher education policy and programming in conflict-affected environments. We refer in particular to the guidelines and conceptual frameworks provided by the…

This article describes the development of Virginia Improves Teaching and Learning (VITAL) as a statewide data warehouse focused on teacher education. The VITAL system is a longitudinal data system that tracks individuals from their entry into teacher preparation programs to employment in public schools. The system goes far beyond typical…

Local school systems, Local Education Agencies [LEAs], and universities, Institutions of Higher Education [IHEs], work together in a variety of ways in the initial preparation and ongoing professional development of teachers, although it is difficult to ascertain the number of LEA/IHE partnerships. These relationships typically allow for a…

The major purposes of this literature review were to locate and describe existing programs that assist beginning teachers, and to describe the evaluation of these programs. Of particular interest was literature in which the problems of beginning teachers were described. Literature covering the following topics is reviewed: (1) why extended teacher…

A redesigned preservice education curriculum, conceived to strengthen ties between special and regular elementary teachers, featured the extensive use of practicums and student teaching. A questionnaire was developed to secure external evaluation and validation of the program. The specific research objective was concerned with how members of the…

In the spring of 1981 the School of Education at the University of Kansas announced that students matriculating subsequent to that date would have to meet the requirements of a new teacher education program of 162 hours spread over five academic years. The decision to initiate an extended teacher education program culminated several years of…

This study examined factors that have contributed to the development of school/university partnerships in Connecticut, and identified obstacles to partnership activities. The research design included review of collaborative activities required by State Department of Education standards at 12 Connecticut teacher education programs. The standards…

Many states are adopting alternative certification programs as a nontraditional means of preparing educational personnel and for admitting into the profession people with degrees in other fields who do not have teacher preparation. This paper clarifies the term alternative certification and establishes a definition for programs. Various…

An exploratory investigation was conducted of a college of education's major costs in providing the "education major" alternative to obtaining teacher certification. Basic procedures consisted of identifying appropriate cost categories and gathering the required cost information. Major effects data from previous studies were reviewed and…

Effective school board leadership based on involvement and example can effectively enhance teacher performance. The first of five strategies presented to encourage maximum performance is the "Science of Teaching Program," allowing staff members, in a six-day seminar format, the opportunity to be exposed to a framework for making wise professional…