Alternative Paths to Certification

 | Definition | Examples | Classifications | Resources | Reference |

Definition:  What does Alternative Paths look like, according to the National Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse?

• Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification:
  
  "Alternative certification is an umbrella term for a wide range of programs that offer nontraditional routes to becoming a teacher. For example, there are teacher preparation programs for mid-career adults and paraprofessionals who want to become teachers and may have had valuable work experience in another field. There also are national programs that provide nontraditional routes to teaching for recent college graduates.
  
  According to the National Center for Education Information, candidates who become licensed/certified through alternative routes usually have a bachelor's degree, go through a screening process, are trained on the job while taking courses, and meet high standards of performance."
   

• "According to NCEI, programs that have the following elements are the most successful:
  • Strong academic course work.
  • Field experience.
  • Mentoring from experienced teachers.
  • Cohort groups.
  • Collaboration between institutions of higher education, state departments of education, and school districts."

   

• From:  http://www.recruitingteachers.org/channels/clearinghouse/becometeacher/122_liccert.htm and http://www.recruitingteachers.org/channels/clearinghouse/findteacher/1412_midcareerprograms.htm

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State Examples:  Links to specific state examples of Alternative Paths to Certification:

• "If you have earned a bachelor's degree and are seeking an alternative to a traditional teacher preparation program, you may be interested in the Alternate Route to Certification (ARC) program, which is sponsored by the Department of Higher Education. The ARC program allows individuals with a minimum of a bachelor's degree and work experience in fields not related to education to enter the teaching profession. Graduates who secure employment in a Connecticut public school or approved private special education facility are required to meet all Connecticut assessment requirements and participate in the Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST) program, which includes a minimum of two years of mentoring and supervised teaching. "
• http://www.state.ct.us/sde/dtl/cert/facts01/fact102.htm

• Under the Delaware ARTC program, individuals with college degrees in selected secondary school subjects may be hired by a public or charter secondary school and complete certification requirements during the first year of teaching -- through a one-year, state-approved program of classes and seminars accompanied by intensive, school-based mentoring and supervision.
• http://www.udel.edu/artc/

• "Alternative certification programs in Florida are designed to prepare newly hired teachers who qualify for a Temporary Certificate and who must complete training in education to qualify for a Professional Certificate. Each Florida school district offers a competency-based, on-the-job alternative certification program - either a district-developed program that has been approved by the Florida Department of Education or Florida's Alternative Certification Program."
• http://www.altcertflorida.org/

• "The goal of the alternative preparation program is to provide a University, RESA, and Public Schools collaborative non-traditional option for prospective post-baccalaureate teacher candidates to acquire the critical and essential knowledge and skills necessary for successful entry into the classroom."
• http://www.gapsc.com/teachereducation/tfg.asp

• "In April, the Board of Educational Examiners adopted rules to create a teacher intern license which allows an individual who possesses a baccalaureate degree and who meets other requirements an opportunity to become a high school teacher."
• http://www.state.ia.us/boee/tilal.html

• "Alternative certification may be considered for persons who have not completed a standard teacher education program. The Teacher Trainee Letter of Approval is valid for three years and is non-renewable. The purpose of the program is to provide an alternative for individuals to become certificated secondary teachers in Idaho without following a standard teacher education program. Qualified applicants will begin contracted teaching earlier and will be admitted to the program using criteria that are different from existing programs but more appropriate for the circumstances. In general, the applicants will have a strong subject matter background but limited experiences with educational methodology."
• http://www.sde.state.id.us/certification/documents/AltRtPacketMasters_040904.pdf

• "The Kentucky General Assembly has enacted alternative routes to teacher and administrator certification for persons who have demonstrated exceptional work and/or educational experiences. The Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) is the state agency that establishes standards and procedures for the alternative route options. The EPSB provides technical assistance to qualifying individuals who have potential as educators in Kentucky schools, to local boards of education, and to institutions of higher education in implementing these options."
• http://www.kyepsb.net/Legislative/routes_alt_cert/default.html

• "The Louisiana Alternative Certification Program provides opportunities for individuals with non-education degrees to become certified public school teachers. Individuals seeking teacher certification under the alternative certification program will follow one of three alternative certification paths:"
• http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/tsac/614.html

• "The Resident Teacher Certificate (RTC), adopted by the Maryland State Board of Education on December 19, 1990, became effective on April 1, 1991. This certificate creates an
  alternative route into the teaching profession for applicants who do not have a background in teacher education.  Local school systems  implement a RTC program"
• http://www.certification.msde.state.md.us/Certification/ResidentTeacher.html

• (This is not necessarily an "Alternative Path" resource, but it provides a model)
• "In this section of the GEM, you can learn the requirements for obtaining a Massachusetts educators' license. "Licensure Help - On-line" prompts you to enter the type and level of license you are seeking, and will return a list of requirements specific to that license. All candidates who are seeking a Preliminary (level 1) or Initial (level 2) license are required to take and pass specific exams on the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL); a link to the MTEL web site is also provided below."
• http://www.doe.mass.edu/GEM/req.html

• "The Alternate Route is for individuals with a non-teacher education bachelor degree from an accredited college/university. Currently there are three methods to obtaining certification through the Alternate Route."
• http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/ed_licensure/alternate_path.html

• "The Northern Plains Transition to Teaching program is designed to provide a compact, rigorous, and diverse system of preparation to move seasoned professionals with established records of excellence into a new career in the public school classroom as competent educators prepared to meet the needs of all learners and to continue their own professional development throughout the course of their new career."
• http://www.montana.edu/nptt/

•  "The Provisional Commitment Teaching Certificate requires the completion of a baccalaureate degree AND completion of at least one-half of the pre-student teaching requirements, including a course in teaching methods, of an approved program for the preparation of teachers; and have fulfilled at least three-fourths of the requirements for at least one subject or field endorsement"
• http://www.nde.state.ne.us/TCERT/Htchcert.html

• (This is interesting...ALL paths to certification are labeled as ALTERNATIVE)
• http://www.ed.state.nh.us/Certification/teacher.htm

• "This alternate route to teaching in North Carolina allows you to obtain a position and begin teaching right away, without any prior teacher training or experience; this route is known as "Lateral Entry." With this approach, your school system of hire provides orientation training and assists you in obtaining a lateral-entry teaching license. This route involves the following steps: determining your eligibility, finding employment (since lateral-entry licensing can only be issued at the request of the school system employing you), and completing coursework specified in a plan of study at a specified yearly rate, along with meeting the Praxis II testing requirement. "...."Once you have obtained a teaching position and a lateral-entry teaching license, you can pursue a "full" teaching license with the help of your school system's personnel administrator, who will work directly with a Regional Alternative Licensing Center (RALC) on your behalf."

• http://teach4nc.org/alternate_routes/while.html

• "The Oklahoma Alternative Placement Program provides an opportunity for degreed individuals to teach in Oklahoma accredited schools. There are four stages in the process. This packet is designed to guide you through the four stages of the application process by outlining information and instructions. It is important to complete all requirements of each step before moving to the next step. The fifth stage of the process occurs after receiving a license."

• http://sde.state.ok.us/home/defaultie.html

• "Programs for those who already have a college degree (post- baccalaureate programs). These programs, which include accelerated routes into teaching, offer training on how to be an effective teacher, as well as additional courses you might need in the subject area you wish to teach. Many of these programs can be completed in a year, during which time you may have a paid teaching position in a public school classroom. For a list of these programs, click here." (Then, there are a number of individual programs created)

• http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECOnline/certinfo/becometeacher.asp

• "Vermont's Alternative Licensure Program: Peer Review (Handbook for Applicants)Most individuals wishing to become licensed as teachers or administrators enroll and complete state approved preparation programs. However, there are alternate routes to educator licensure in many states. Vermont's alternate route is License by Evaluation or "Peer Review." Peer Review is for individuals who have acquired the knowledge and skills needed to meet the Principles for Vermont Educators and the endorsement competencies and requirements they seek through coursework and experiences, rather than through a preparation program." (and perhaps MOST interesting)

• The fees associated with peer review are:· $35 for eligibility determination (see page 4 of the Handbook for Applicants)· $1200 for the actual peer review; due upon submission of portfolio

• http://www.state.vt.us/educ/new/pdfdoc/licensing/routes/peer_review_overview.pdf

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Ten Classifications of  "Alternative Paths"

from: http://www.recruitingteachers.org/channels/clearinghouse/deptedu.asp#ALT

"Use the following classification system to learn what each state in the directory offers in the way of "alternative licensure" programs. Information courtesy of the National Center for Education Information. "

CLASS A: This category is reserved for those programs that meet the following criteria:

The program has been designed for the explicit purpose of attracting talented individuals who already have at least a bachelor's degree in a field other than education into elementary and secondary school teaching.

The program is not restricted to shortages, secondary grade levels, or subject areas.

The alternative teacher certification programs in these states involve teaching with a trained mentor, and formal instruction that deals with the theory and practice of teaching during the school year—and sometimes in the summer before and/or after.

CLASS B: Teacher certification routes that have been designed specifically to bring talented individuals who already have at least a bachelor's degree into teaching. These programs involve specially designed  mentoring and formal instruction.  However, these states either restrict the program to shortages and/or secondary grade levels and/or subject areas.

CLASS C: These routes entail review of academic and professional background, and transcript analysis. They involve specially (individually) designed in-service and course-taking necessary to reach competencies required for certification, if applicable. The state and/or local school district have major responsibility for program design.

CLASS D: These routes entail review of academic and professional background, transcript analysis. They involve specially (individually) designed inservice and course-taking necessary to reach competencies required for certification, if applicable.  An institution of higher education has major responsibility for program design.

CLASS E: These post-baccalaureate programs are based at an institution of higher education.

CLASS F: These programs are basically emergency routes. The prospective teacher is issued some type of emergency certificate or waiver that allows the individual to teach, usually without any on-site support or supervision, while taking the traditional teacher education courses requisite for full certification.

CLASS G: Programs in this class are for persons who have very few requirements left to fulfill before becoming certified through the traditional approved college teacher education program route, e.g., persons certified in one state moving to another; persons certified in one endorsement area seeking to become certified in another.

CLASS H: This class includes those routes that enable a person who has some "special" qualifications, such as a well-known author or Nobel Prize winner, to teach certain subjects.

CLASS I: These states reported in 1999 that they were not implementing alternatives to the approved college teacher education program route for licensing teachers.

CLASS J: These programs are designed to eliminate emergency routes. They prepare individuals who do not meet basic requirements to become qualified to enter an alternative route or a traditional route for teacher licensing.

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Other Resources and Interesting Links:

• The National Center for Education Information

• http://www.ncei.com/

• "Troops to Teachers is a U.S. Department of Education and Department of Defense program that helps eligible military personnel begin a new career as teachers in public schools where their skills, knowledge and experience are most needed."

• http://www.proudtoserveagain.com/pages/808014/index.htm

• "Teach For America is building the movement to eliminate educational inequity in this country. Since 1990, more than 10,000 exceptional individuals have joined Teach For America, committing two years to teach in low-income rural and urban communities. Following this experience, many have become committed leaders in the effort to expand opportunities for all children."

• http://www.teachforamerica.org/flash_movie.html

• "The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification is dedicated to licensing well-prepared, safe and wholesome educators for our nation's schools. NASDTEC represents professional standards boards, commissions and state departments of education in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Dependent Schools, the U.S. Territories, New Zealand, and British Columbia, which are responsible for the preparation, licensure and discipline of educational personnel. Associate members include Canadian provinces and representatives of other constituent groups with an interest in the preparation and certification of educational personnel."

• http://www.nasdtec.org/

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Most of the information is from:  http://www.recruitingteachers.org/channels/clearinghouse/

• About this resource:  "In August 2000, Recruiting New Teachers, Inc. (RNT) launched the first online National Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse (www.recruitingteachers.org) in the nation—the first one-stop shop of information about teacher recruitment and retention. The primary goal of the Clearinghouse is to provide an accessible source of information for school districts seeking teachers and teachers seeking jobs in America's public schools."

• "The Clearinghouse is funded through grants from the U.S. Department of the Education The Annenberg Foundation, and The Joyce Foundation."

Created: April, 2004

Heather Lynn Carter

Lecturer, ASU West

heather.carter@asu.edu