Considerations for Alternative Routes to Teaching

Alternative versustraditional teacher preparation has been a controversial issue nationally inthe education field over the last decade. Not only are the number of options ofalternative programs continuing to increase, the dividing lines are no longer clearcut as some "traditional" programs are structured very alternativelyand some "alternative" programs look quite traditional.  

The Rennie Center recently published a report investigatingthe role of alternative teacher preparation in Massachusetts. The reportidentified common themes within the goals and design of these programs. Thesethemes included an intention to serve the needs of particular schooldistricts, coursework focused on the practical aspects of teaching, reducedfinancial barriers for individuals seeking to enter the profession, aclinical model that immerses candidates in the school environmentsand a career-step for experienced teachers involved in thedevelopment and operation of alternative route programs  

The report makesrecommendations for policymakers, district leaders, and higher education toconsider:

• Expand state data systems
• Create a career-step for experienced teachers
• Increase marketing of practice-based programs as a route to entering the teaching profession.
• Improve collaboration between districts and preparation programs.
• Create of lend-lease programs which allow expert teachers to work as adjunct professors in schools of education without forfeiting their role as K-12 teachers.
• Encourage higher education faculty to spend more time in K-12 classrooms.

Currently,Washington's legislature is considering some design changes to its alternativeroutes to teaching program, and some that are similar to ones referencedby the Rennie Center's report . House Bill 3059 and Senate Bill 6696 would-

• Require all public colleges of education that offer teacher preparation to submit to the state a proposal for an alternative route program;
• Expand the providers of teacher preparation to community colleges and non-higher education entities; and
• Intentionally collaborate with Educational Service Districts, school districts and higher education on regional teacher workforce issues, teaching needs and action plans.