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There is a critical issue of special education teacher shortages in the United States. Student populations, many of whom are multilingual and have disabilities, continue to grow while there is a decrease in the teaching workforce. One policy initiative developed to combat the teacher shortage is the Assistant to Teacher Program. The Assistant to Teacher Program is a school district policy that aims to fill high-need teacher vacancies by supporting paraprofessionals to become certified teachers in a career advancement cohort. This qualitative study examines the working experiences of multilingual paraprofessionals in special education and their perceptions of the Assistant to Teacher program within their school district. A thematic analysis reveals the bureaucratic and financial obstacles that multilingual paraprofessionals encounter in their career advancement, and their working conditions specific to special education as linguistic liaisons. Findings from the study are then linked to recommended policy actions intended to mitigate special education workforce disparities.

The demand for proficient English language teachers has increased significantly in non-native English-speaking countries, emphasizing the need for effective teacher training programs. This study investigated the influence of the CELTA/TESOL certification on non-native English teachers' practical teaching knowledge and efficacy perceptions in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting. A qualitative approach was employed, and data were collected via semi-structured interviews. The participants comprised eight Iranian EFL teachers who completed the CELTA/TESOL certification program. Before the certification course, the teachers exhibited diverse teaching approaches, emphasizing teacher-centered methods. Their confidence levels varied, and they faced challenges in classroom management and addressing student needs. The lack of formal training in practical teaching techniques was evident among participants. Following the certification course, significant positive changes were observed in the teachers' self-reported practices and self-efficacy perceptions. Participants also showed positive dispositions towards student-centered approaches, integrated learner needs and interests, and utilized diverse instructional strategies. The course contributed to effective lesson planning and classroom management. Collaborative learning and ongoing professional development were fostered, enhancing the teachers' reflective practice. As a result, the non-native English teachers reported increased confidence in their teaching abilities. This study contributes to understanding the benefits of the CELTA/TESOL certification program for non-native English teachers and emphasizes the importance of practical teacher training in EFL contexts. It highlights the transformative potential of such certification courses in bridging the gap in practical teaching knowledge and supporting the professional growth of non-native English teachers.

The Commonwealth of Virginia has seen an increase in the number of educators completing Alternative Teacher Certification Programs, contributing to the diversity in the teaching work force. The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of alternatively certified public K-12 teachers regarding their preparedness to teach. The researcher employed a semi-structured focus group protocol in conducting four focus groups with 23 participants who were provisionally licensed K-12 public school teachers in one school division in Virginia and represented elementary, middle, and high school teachers in both general and special education roles. Findings indicated that beginning teachers who have completed an alternative teacher certification program (ATCP) do not feel prepared for the teaching role. Additionally, study findings indicate that ATCP teachers perceive that their training did not adequately prepare them for core academic instruction, lesson planning, differentiation, classroom management, and working with parents, resulting in high levels of stress among provisionally licensed teachers. School leaders are tasked with ensuring equitable learning experiences for all students represented by a highly qualified, diverse faculty. Understanding the unique pre-service training and ongoing needs will help school leaders provide supports aimed at increasing their retention to address growing teacher shortages.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, many states expanded alternative teaching licensure to address nationwide teacher shortages. This manuscript sought to compare the effectiveness of traditional preparation programs and alternative certification programs but found the comparison to be inconclusive because those categories were too broad. This analysis instead identified several trends in each of the two pathways. Generally, alternative programs attracted more diverse candidates because the unpaid internship model of traditional programs was a barrier for many candidates. Meanwhile, many traditional programs prepared teachers more effectively, particularly in their first year. However, the connection between credentialing pathway and long-term retention was unclear. Based on the findings of this article's analysis, policymakers need to evaluate alternative programs closely to ensure they maintain high standards for accreditation and so that teachers who enter the classroom via alternative pathways are properly prepared, particularly if the goal in expanding alternative pathways is to address teacher shortages. More research is needed on the impact teachers had on students' learning based on their credentialing pathway.

Uncertified teachers are the foundation of early childhood systems across the nation. As states and districts move into professionalizing early childhood education, experienced but uncertified teachers are facing the need to enroll in teacher preparation programs to receive certification and retain their jobs. This article investigates the effects of teaching mandates and compensation policies in New York City (NYC) in the light of its universal prekindergarten (UPK) expansion. Over 50% of nonpublic school UPK teachers in NYC are uncertified teachers. While certification is a requirement to teach in NYC's UPK, due to the lack of certified teachers willing to teach in nonpublic settings, uncertified teachers often act as lead teachers while they complete their certification requirements. This article focused on understanding how uncertified teachers perceive their role in the larger school community, and how certification, compensation, and work condition policies support (or hinder) their licensing and course-of-study completion. Using Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory and Schneider and Ingram's (1997) social construction and policy design theory, a qualitative case study approach was the primary form of analysis. Document discourse analysis, focus groups, and interviews (n = 20) were utilized. This study found that early childhood uncertified teachers are hungry for structural changes that acknowledge their role in the community by supporting the completion of their degrees. Findings support research literature signaling equity challenges of scaling up UPK implementations. Implications are discussed and policy recommendations are provided.

During the global pandemic, teachers and students were forced to quickly adjust teaching and learning to fit in the new socially distanced world. Along with the challenge of establishing effective online teaching tools came the need to create social spaces for connecting with students through teacher-student interactions. This study followed the practices of K-12 teachers who were also graduate students seeking an advanced endorsement in literacy as they grappled with problems and solutions of online learning during an intensive K-12 literacy tutoring program. The researchers honed in on the work of one focal teacher as she carved out a new social space for connecting with her students. This work resulted in the identification of specific criteria for three dimensions of social presence: relationship building, engagement, and social interactions.

The present study explores the specific outlines and implementation characteristics of teacher training programs for teaching as a second career. These programs stand out for being socio-educational, aiming to foster leadership and generate a social value-based change through education. The study is based on a qualitative approach using case study methodology, and draws upon staff's interviews, meeting protocols, programmes' documents, and course syllabi. The findings reveal how these programs' content, structure, guiding principles, mode of operation, and the professional community of the staff collectively contribute to equipping teachers with the skills and mindset necessary for their socio-educational mission. The article presents a transition from a traditional worldview emphasising content-teaching skills to a holistic one where the teacher is a change leader. The study may offer a path for the designers of teacher education programs who wish their programs to lead to socio-educational change.

This paper outlines how four community colleges, and a large public university, collaborated to support over 80 paraprofessionals who sought to finish their bachelor's degree and earn licensure. Funding from a statewide "Grow Your Own" initiative allowed the teacher educators at the community colleges and university to put in place structures to support non-traditional students, and each other, during the first year of this program. Lessons learned and next steps are highlighted.

Background/purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify strengths and deficits of alternative teacher certification programs, with particular emphasis on approaches to strengthening mathematical content knowledge and pedagogy. Materials/methods: Six participants included both teacher candidates enrolled in internship in the alternative master's elementary or early childhood program and recent graduates of the programs at a university in the southeast United States. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted via an online focus group to elicit conversation among the participants of their combined perceptions of program-level recommendations to better prepare them to teach elementary mathematics. Using inductive, open coding of the transcribed data, the researchers identified and ultimately agreed upon the emerging themes related to perceptions of preparation program components. Results: Related to research question one, participants shared meaningful experiences related to the instructor modeling effective mathematics teaching practices that have impacted their own teaching. Related to research question two, five common themes, including recommendations for improvement, were revealed: Need for more preservice mathematics methods instruction and theory into practice; Preparedness for accommodating diverse needs; Analyzing student data to inform practice; Utilizing and securing available resources; and navigating curricular changes/district mandates. Conclusion: Based on the results of the study, teacher candidates in the elementary and early childhood alternative master's programs are in need additional content, pedagogy, and resources to effectively teach elementary mathematics.

Educators in many countries must meet the educational needs of students who are not fluent in the language of instruction. Professional learning focused on incremental or individual teacher change has failed to improve student learning trajectories (Cuban, 2013; Gorski & Zenkov, 2014). This article explores Brookfield's (2012) critical articulation of Mezirow's (2012) adult learning theory to support the complex and radical transformation needed from all educators--not just language specialists--to improve classroom learning and schooling. We present the "inclusive learning communities" framework, with conceptual and pedagogical growth targets, guiding a seven-course English as a New Language Certification program for PreK-12 preservice and in-service teachers working with English learners (ELs) in general education and EL specialist classrooms. The conceptual and pedagogical elements leverage critical transformative learning theory to reframe educators' individual beliefs and practices while developing their collective capacity to challenge oppressive ideologies and systems in pursuit of equity. We conclude that radical improvement in EL outcomes requires all EL teacher educators to plan and evaluate university coursework programmatically in ways that demonstrate real-world change.

Community teachers, particularly those who are Black and Latinx, are assumed to improve retention and outcomes depending on retention in schools that serve low-income Black and Latinx students. Based on a critical quantitative analysis of data collected on the career trajectories and retention of hundreds of alternatively certified mathematics teachers, the study shows that community insiders exhibit significantly higher rates of retention in district schools than community outsiders and, in particular, those from elite colleges. Utilizing quantitative critical theory methodology, the study helps to move the field beyond race-neutral analyses of teachers' retention and careers.

Lortie's original conception of the apprenticeship of observation was one of conservative schooling practice and negative impact on teacher learning for school change. Schooling practices have changed in the 60 years since the original research that established the apprenticeship of observation as launch pad to teaching, changing prospective teachers' experience of schooling. This article shares the experience of one pre-service teacher who never attended school, having been home educated. The absence of an apprenticeship of observation in schools highlights the need to better understand the growing diversity of experience pre-service teachers bring to initial teacher education. This one pre-service teacher's experience raises the need to explore Lortie's conception in the context of contemporary school experience and the impact on learning to teach. Challenging the acceptance of Lortie's view to pre-service teachers' prior experience and the impact on learning to teach has significance for all teacher education programs.

Purpose: Teacher leadership distinguishes, implicitly or explicitly, among teachers based on their expertise, but the notion of teaching expertise is contested, even among educators. Despite the potential for expert teachers to positively influence their colleagues' practices, we know little about the supports and obstacles to expert teacher leadership. This study examines the ways that the leadership of a particular group of expert teachers--National-Board-certified teachers--is understood and enacted in schools. Methods: Survey data from staff in six elementary schools were used to analyze Board-certified teachers' centrality in their schools' work-related social networks. Survey results were used to select 26 participants for semistructured interviews focused on their understandings of the relationships between teaching expertise, Board certification, and leadership, which were analyzed using alternating rounds of open and closed coding. Findings: Board-certified teachers were more central to their schools' networks than non-Board-certified teachers, although Board-certified teachers interacted with one another more than with non-Board-certified teachers. Board-certified teachers were seen as having expanded influence beyond their classrooms, which some saw as supporting their leadership, but others saw as disconnected from, or even undermining, their leadership. Implications for Research and Practice: Teacher leadership requires a supporting infrastructure in the form of leadership positions, routines, and tools that align with leaders' expertise. Developing a shared understanding of teaching expertise is key to Board-certified teacher leadership, as well as other teacher leadership efforts.

As the teacher shortage continues to sweep the country, Grow Your Own (GYO) programs designed to attract and prepare more individuals into the teaching ranks are gaining national attention, particularly those targeting special education. Assisting paraprofessionals who work with students with disabilities has long been considered as one strategy among the array of ideas to grow more teachers and retain them. The solution includes GYOs that provide paraprofessionals with tuition support to earn their degrees and teaching certificates. Yet, little is known about outcomes of programs that fund paraprofessionals to become teachers. The state of Florida funded GYO program has compiled outcome data on more than 200 paraprofessionals who received tuition support to obtain their degrees. Data support the notion that when provided with financial assistance, paraprofessionals do earn their degrees and apply for teaching certification. Retention data also indicate that they remain certified at commendable levels.

This study examined the impact school leaders had on the self-efficacy of African American Male (AAM) teachers who matriculated through an alternative certification program. Purposeful sampling was used in this study with four inclusion criteria. The study occurred at a large urban Title 1 school district in the Southeast. The district was selected based on its implementation of an alternative certification program and relative success in recruiting and maintaining a diverse teaching staff. Tschannen-Moran and Hoy's 12-item teacher self-efficacy survey was administered to select teachers who scored high on their self-efficacy scale. Eleven AAM teachers from various urban school sites participated in this study. Data were collected through one-on-one and focus group interviews. Findings revealed three themes that captured the ways school leaders impacted teacher self-efficacy. Study results can help provide leaders and policymakers with guidance as they seek to address the teaching shortage and develop a more diverse teaching workforce through alternative certification programs.

This comparative study explored self-efficacy and ability for scientifically-based literacy instruction between a traditional and residency model of teacher preparation. Pre-/post-survey data was collected using the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy for Literacy Scale. Mentor teachers completed a modified version of the survey on candidates' abilities. Data were analyzed using paired sample t-tests, independent sample t-tests, and a trend analysis. Results revealed that candidates in the Residency Model held higher levels of self-efficacy for literacy instruction than in the Traditional Model. Mentor teachers rated candidates in the Residency Model as more able to teach literacy than those in the Traditional Model. There was alignment amongst the mentor rating and the resident perception of ability. In the Traditional Model, the mentor and student teacher were not as aligned in their perspectives of student teacher ability to teach literacy. Teacher preparation programs should consider the potential of teacher Residency Models to prepare pre-service teachers for the use of the Science of Reading for teaching literacy.

With the gradual improvement of open teacher selection mechanisms, the comparison of traditionally and alternatively certified teachers has become one of the international focuses in teacher research. Current studies have compared teachers of different certification pathways from multidimensional perspectives; however, no study has yet compared the differences in curriculum leadership between the two types of teachers. Teacher curriculum leadership is the ability of teachers to collaborate with stakeholders in the curriculum area to promote curriculum optimization and the development of students and teachers, and it includes three dimensions: teachers' curriculum leadership views, practices and identity. This study conducted a comparative analysis of the curriculum leadership of traditionally and alternatively certified teachers based on data from 9,068 teachers of 20 provinces in China. Independent samples t-test and multiple linear regression analysis revealed no significant differences between traditionally and alternatively certified teachers on the overall level of curriculum leadership and the three sub-dimensions of curriculum leadership views, practices, and identity. Theoretically, it provides new evidence for the debate about whether there are differences between the two types of teachers by further corroborating the conclusion that there is no significant difference in the educational effectiveness of traditionally and alternatively certified teachers. Practically, it justifies the rationality of an open teacher selection mechanism and points the way to further reforms in university teacher education.

This study examines the certification pathway of science teachers in Texas, how science teacher certification patterns have changed over time, and the association of certification pathway to student outcomes in science. This quantitative study uses administrative data from the Texas Statewide Longitudinal Data System (UH-ERC). The UH-ERC database includes data from the Texas Education Agency (TEA), The Higher Education Coordinating Boards (THECB), and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) which can be linked together to provide a cradle-to-workforce portrait of Texas residents. Cohorts were created of novice teachers to isolate teacher preparation rather than professional development associated with years of experience. Results indicated that teachers new to the labour market are increasingly being certified through alternative pathways, particularly in districts closer to metropolitan areas. Findings suggest that students who are taught by teachers who were prepared through an alternative pathway have lower test scores on the biology end-of-course State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test than students who were taught by teachers prepared through a traditional certification pathway.

Hispanic and Latino/a/x students encounter substantial barriers and challenges at all educational levels when attempting to find necessary resources in secondary ensembles, graduate from high school, attend college, obtain teacher licensure, and enter the music education profession. Despite data showing growth of the Hispanic and Latino/a/x population in U.S. schools, music educators cannot assume that these numbers will equate to more diversity in the field of music education. Considering the overwhelming number of obstacles Hispanic and Latino/a/x peoples face when trying to enter the field of music education, more supports are needed to (a) recruit a more diverse educator population and (b) retain highly qualified educators.

Accountability-era reforms have promulgated a discourse of crisis and a looming threat for public schools. While these threats negatively affect all, this paper focuses on how schools' responses to these threats shape novice Teach for America Corp Members' (CM) socialization. By analyzing nearly 6,000 daily reflections from 38 CMs about their experiences during a high-stakes cheating scandal, we argue that schools' responses indicated a threat rigidity response that allowed what we call the mesosystem of transgressions to occur. Our implications present ways to (a) mitigate threats inflicted on schools through unjust policies and practices and (b) enact equitable public schools.

In the United States, there exists a chronic shortage of qualified special education teachers to provide instructional services to students with disabilities. One policy solution developed to increase the number of qualified teachers is alternative routes (ARs), which are broadly defined as nontraditional and accelerated preparation paths to obtain a teaching license. In this longitudinal descriptive study, we investigate (a) the national trends of special education teacher enrollment and completion in AR programs from 2012 to 2020 and (b) the special education teacher preparation requirements in state alternative pathways that are disaggregated by their affiliation with institutions of higher education. Findings reveal that AR programs preparing special education teachers are on the rise within the United States, but they vary significantly on their preparation requirements. Implications for future research and policy recommendations needed within the recruitment and preparation of special education teachers will be discussed.

Background and Context: Teacher licensure and certification are complex processes that aim to establish standards of teacher quality by regulating entry into the profession. However, many teachers of color experience barriers when navigating licensure and certification. Purpose: Using racialized administrative burdens as a theoretical lens to understand such barriers, this study attends to structural biases assembled in ostensibly race-neutral administrative processes within teacher licensure and certification. Research Design: Embedded within a larger project exploring licensure and certification barriers for teachers of color, data for this qualitative study include interviews with 17 teachers of color and two focus group sessions with licensure administrators--four school district personnel and four university-based licensure administrators. Study Conclusions: We identified racialized administrative burdens related to accessing information and resources, financial strains, and other compliance costs, as well as psychological burdens that rendered disempowering effects on teachers' sense of belonging and persistence. As states consider and implement initiatives to diversify the teacher workforce, this study casts light on the licensure and credentialing process as a policy mechanism to address racialized barriers.

Background or Context: With the implementation of three-dimensional science and high stakes testing, policymakers have bolstered science curriculum to include standards that engage students in scientific discourse while providing the needed guidelines for teaching science content. However, the field of science education has not been a policy focus to provide needed supports for struggling students to attain mastery of standards. This oversight leaves an evident gap in educational equity, because it fails to address challenges faced by students who may not meet science proficiency. Purpose, Objective, Research Question, or Focus of Study: This study examines the association between a student's enrollment in an intervention course and science outcomes. This is measured by achievement testing, describing student enrollment in an intervention course for both general intervention coursework and science-specific intervention coursework. The analysis further describes the teacher certification area for intervention courses to determine if certification impacts student achievement. Research Design: First, descriptive statistics were employed to better understand student characteristics of those enrolled in science intervention courses. Then, propensity score matching was used to match students through nearest neighbor matching based on covariates association with struggling learners. Additionally, teachers who teach intervention courses (general and science-specific) were examined by demographics and teacher certification pathway to determine if an association exists between certification pathway and student outcomes. Conclusions or Recommendations: Findings suggest that most students enrolled in a science-specific intervention course were not identified as a special education student. Those students enrolled in a science-specific intervention course had greater science outcomes than those students enrolled in a general intervention course. Additionally, teacher preparation pathway is important to consider during staffing initiatives because traditional certified teachers associate with higher student outcomes in science intervention courses, though more science intervention courses are taught by alternatively certified teachers.

This study examines the commitments of an alternative teacher education program in linking theory and practice, one of the most prominent problems of the field. This qualitative phenomenological study drew from semi-structured interviews with seven faculty members and associate instructors, electronic surveys with seven program students, participant observation and field notes in seminar sessions, one program faculty meeting, and one community meeting, and curriculum materials. The findings suggest that the design of the program and the roles and (inter)actions of the stakeholders within the program created a dialectical interplay. Linked with this interplay, Teachers' Society provided a setting for collaborative learning during which theory is extracted from experience.

School-Based agricultural education increasingly depends upon alternatively certified (AC) teachers to teach agriculture across the United States. Understanding why these individuals become teachers is an important step to better recruit and retain educators who do not complete traditional preparation programs. The purpose of our study was to explore the backgrounds, motivations, and expectations of AC agriscience teachers joining the profession. Our study was guided by the social cognitive career theory and utilized a qualitative phenomenological approach. We interviewed seven AC agriscience teachers in Florida during their first-year teaching to explore their journey into teaching agricultural education. Six major themes were found, including background and interest in agriculture, positive teaching self-efficacy expectations, positive teaching outcome expectations, right location and right time, exciting but challenging, and more than expected. We recommend providing support programs tailored for AC agriscience teachers that are guided by the similar backgrounds, motivations, and expectations of AC teachers.