This article reports on a survey of chief state school officers which assessed state policies that influence the quality of teachers and teaching. Twenty-one recommendations to help guide state educational policy and strengthen teacher preparation are discussed. (DF)

Reviews some current criticisms of teacher education and the nature of recent reform proposals. Presents a series of propositions dealing with (1) potential reform of teacher education's substance and process and (2) governance of certification, accreditation, and the link between research community and teacher education process. (CMG)

This report includes an analysis of findings from Electronic Learning's 1984 Survey of State Governments on educational computing trends, information on state mandated computer literacy programs, a summary of teacher certification requirements and state mandated computer literacy programs, and a review of two state approaches to educational…

Annotations are presented of selected ERIC materials on: (1) the state of the art of teacher certification testing; (2) descriptions of specific teacher certification tests; (3) teacher certification test validity; and (4) references for additional reading. (CJB)

The Center for Open Education sends consultants to schools to work on-site with teachers; all personnel of the school are involved in planning inservice programs based on school needs; and through affiliation with the University of Connecticut, credit courses are available to participating teachers. (JD)

The purpose of Competency-Based Teacher Education programs is to provide education for teachers that focuses on the development of those competencies--knowledge, skills, and ways of acting--that are most effective in the classroom. This article investigated how the CBTE approach will affect music education. (Author/RK)

This issue of "Residential Group Care Quarterly" contains the following articles: (1) "Instrument for Assessing Behavioral Change" (David Colton); (2) "Comfort Rooms: Reducing the Need for Seclusion and Restraint" (Gayle Bluebird); (3) "Child Care Workers First in North Carolina to be Certified" (BCH Communications); and (4) "Should residential…

A primary goal of the Washington Initiative has been to increase the numbers of National Board certified teachers in Washington by offering candidates scholarships and systematic group support. Responsibility for providing candidate support was given in 2001-02 to the University of Washington and Washington State University, and in 2002-03 to…

National Board Certification represents one of the most significant reform efforts in the area of teacher quality in the last two decades. Since the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certified its first round of teachers in 1995, approximately 24,000 teachers have become certified at a cost to the country of well over $200…

In 1999 the Texas Legislature provided for the creation of the Master Reading Teacher (MRT) Certificate to address several issues. MRTs primary duties are to: serve as reading teachers; consult with and mentor other teachers; and provide research-based information and training. In September 2001 the Texas Education Agency asked Dr. Jan Hasbrouck…

To its considerable credit, California has set rigorous standards for all of its students in the past decade and provided considerable focus on where schools are falling short. Now, there are plentiful data about which schools and students are not succeeding. But the standards come with high stakes for students and schools-- consequences that…

In concert with a rising interest in history education, there is concern about the quality of education and certification of history teachers. Many researchers, theorists, and specialists have weighed in on the issue of teacher preparation and certification. To what extent are history teachers prepared and certified to teach the discipline? This…

This report is the second in a series based on data collected for an evaluation of the Class Size Reduction Program. This study examined the impact of the teacher on student achievement. The study used multilevel statistical techniques to examine the teaching strategies and techniques observed in the classroom that were significant predictors of…

There is an acute need to improve the quality of classroom teachers through improved standards for preservice programs and licensure and certification, especially in the middle grades. Several Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states are working to improve middle grades teacher quality. Some are raising standards on teacher licensure tests.…

The Transition to Teaching (TTT) program is described in Part C, Innovations for Teacher Quality, Subpart 1, Chapter B of the "No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act." Its purposes are "(a) to recruit and retain highly qualified mid-career professionals (including highly qualified paraprofessionals) and recent graduates of an institution…