National Center for Alternative Certification

Alternative Teacher Certification Procedures and Professional Development Opportunities for Career and Technical Education Teachers

by Sheila K. Ruhland, Ph.D.
Project Director
University of Minnesota

and

Christine D. Bremer, Ph.D.
Project Coordinator
University of Minnesota

(2002)

SUBJECT

This study examines alternative teacher certification procedures and professional development opportunities available to secondary academic and career and technical education (CTE) teachers, and describes the teaching experiences and professional development needs of recently certified CTE teachers.

On a national level, the number of states providing alternative certification routes differing from the traditional college teacher preparation program has increased (Feistritzer & Chester, 2001).

This increase in alternative certification routes raises concerns about the quality of teachers entering the teaching profession. In this study, certification is used broadly to refer to the entire range of procedures and practices used to award credentials (licenses and certificates) that allow individuals to serve as public school teachers.

Alternative teacher certification refers to non-traditional routes into the teaching profession.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The research questions for this study were:

1. What are the similarities and differences between alternative teacher certification procedures for secondary academic teachers and CTE teachers?
2. Are there differences in the professional development opportunities available to recently certified secondary academic teachers and CTE teachers?
3. Are differences reported among CTE teachers grouped according to teacher certification program in their ratings of pre-service preparation?
4. Are differences reported among CTE teachers grouped according to their ratings of teaching experience and their ratings of support services used?
5. Are differences reported among CTE teachers grouped according to their ratings of teaching experience and their reported likelihood to continue in the teaching profession?
6. Are differences reported among CTE teachers grouped according to teacher certification program in their likelihood to continue in the teaching profession?
7. What are the professional development needs of recently certified CTE teachers?

METHODOLOGY

A review of literature was conducted to give insight into the types of teacher certification practices in the United States. The review of literature provides an overview of retention strategies for both traditional and alternatively certified teachers.

In addition to the review of literature pertinent to the need for alternative certification, data were collected to determine alternative teacher certification procedures and to identify professional development opportunities provided by states. Data were collected from state departments of education and CTE teachers through surveys. Telephone interviews were also conducted with CTE teachers. The comments from the telephone interviews provided additional insights into the varied teaching experiences and professional development needs of recently certified CTE teachers.

Thirty-six states provided data on alternative teacher certification procedures for academic and CTE teachers. The review of academic and professional development backgrounds and transcript analysis was the most common alternative teacher certification procedure reported by state departments of education for academic teachers and six of the eight CTE certification areas.

FINDINGS

No differences in alternative teacher certification procedures were reported between secondary academic and CTE teachers. Thirty-three states reported professional development activities available to recently certified secondary academic and CTE teachers.

• A mentor (67 percent) was the most common professional development activity
provided, followed by professional development workshops (61 percent). The
survey population for this study consisted of traditionally and alternatively
certified CTE teachers hired between 1996 and 2000 from the 50 states and the
District of Columbia.
• Twenty-eight states (55 percent) were able to provide the names and addresses
of traditionally and alternatively certified CTE teachers hired between 1996 and
2000. Surveys were sent to 2,091 CTE teachers, and completed surveys were
received from 632.
• The majority of respondents (59 percent) had completed all the teacher
certification requirements when they began teaching.
• Of these respondents, 47 percent completed a baccalaureate degree in
education, 28 percent completed an alternative certification program, and 18
percent completed a fifth-year or post-baccalaureate program.
• More than half of the agriculture (58 percent), health careers (65 percent), and
trade and industrial (59 percent) teachers reported that at the time they began
teaching, they had not completed all the teacher certification requirements.
CTE teachers with a baccalaureate degree in education, fifth-year or post-
baccalaureate program, or alternative certification program reported significant
differences in pre-service preparation in pedagogy and knowledge of subject
matter.
• In pedagogy, teachers with a baccalaureate degree in education felt the most
prepared, and alternatively certified teachers felt the least prepared. However,
alternatively certified teachers felt most prepared in knowledge of subject
matter.
• No differences were reported between types of certification program in the
areas of classroom management skills and working with special populations.
• Teachers who reported using support services rated their teaching experience
more positively than those who did not. Eight support services were listed and
included use of curriculum and instructional resources, orientation to policies
and procedures, paid curriculum development time prior to teaching, and peer
support group.
• The likelihood of remaining in the teaching profession was linked to positive
ratings of teaching experience.
• Sixty-three percent of the CTE respondents rated their teaching experience as
very positive or extremely positive.
• The type of teacher certification program did not influence the reported
likelihood of remaining in the teaching profession, nor their decision to
continue teaching.
• Fifty-three percent of the respondents reported they planned to continue
teaching as a long-term career (eight or more years).
• Fourteen survey respondents participated in telephone interviews. Depending
on their pre-service preparation, some new teachers reported the need for
ongoing help with curriculum, teaching methods, and classroom management.

The need for personal support, whether in the form of a mentor or a peer support group, was clear in the comments of all new teachers. This support from other education professionals was seen as key to staying in the teaching profession, though there was no consensus on what would be most helpful.

Beginning teachers also valued the availability of classroom observation opportunities and workshops on many topics, along with the release time available to take advantage of these.

The entire report can be accessed at: http://www.nccte.org/publications/projectReports.asp
RECOMMENDATIONS

Based upon the findings from this study, recommendations for further research are offered:

1. An examination of the relationship between traditional versus alternative teacher certification and student achievement,
2. An examination of the relationship between mentor and the quality of the mentor program with beginning teachers,
3. The identification of model CTE traditional and alternative teacher preparation programs,
4. The effectiveness of national programs offering alternative certification routes into the teaching profession,
5. The identification of pre-service and in-service needs of CTE teachers, and
6. A longitudinal study to compare the likelihood of success in terms of traditionally and alternatively certified CTE teachers with varying levels of preparation.

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