A Comparison of Alternatively and Traditionally Prepared Teachers

By 1993, 40 states had instituted alternative certification (AC) programs for degree holders wishing to teach (Sindelar Grossman, 1989; Lenk, 1989; Mitchell, 1987). Novice teachers without full training show more ignorance about student needs and differences and about teaching basics than trained beginners (Rottenberg Dewalt Etheridge, Butler, Etheridge, Guyton, Fox, Hutton, 1987; Mishima, 1987; Soares, 1989, 1990) report similar findings. Comparisons based on achievement test performance suggest that AC programs do not necessarily lead to lower student outcomes (Barnes, et al. …