In this article, the authors explore the ideas that revolve around improving the quality of the teacher workforce through the pursuit of two related goals: (1) teachers who are hired by school districts will have as beginning professionals the acquired knowledge, habits of mind, and skills necessary to meet the needs of the students within the particular contexts of the schools in which they teach; and (2) teachers will have dispositions and ways of thinking that will allow them to continue to develop their understandings and skills such that they continually improve their practice. The authors discuss two types of approaches to meeting these goals: (1) regulatory; and (2) educative. The authors also discuss the fundamental considerations of the nature of good and effective teaching. They then place their discussion within the policy context of teaching and teacher education and describe how that context has changed over the last number of years. They follow this with descriptions of the various forms of regulatory activities and types of preservice teacher education, and an account of recent research on certification and the effects of teacher preparation. Finally, they present their conclusions on the topic. (Contains 23 notes.)