This paper highlights recent trends, issues, and research related to the roles and authority of states in policies for teachers and teaching. A review of literature demonstrates an increased role for state policymakers in education decision making. Decisions that had typically been within the domain of professional educators are now subject to state mandate. Trends, however, suggest that state policymakers will focus their attention more on educational outcomes and accountability systems and less on prescribing how education should be delivered, thus making the role of local institutions increasingly important. While there is major agreement between educators and policymakers that systemic changes in the education system are necessary, in contrast to the surface changes of earlier reform mandates, there is substantial disagreement on how such change will be achieved. Many policy analysts advocate a capacity-building approach to effecting changes in the education delivery system. Many state policymakers are looking at system-changing policies rather than capacity-building strategies as the best method for effecting change; e.g., the advocacy of alternative teacher certification programs that bypass traditional education programs entirely. (JD)