| This study focused on the type of teacher certification programs offered in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. The decision to use these six midwestern states is based on the rationale that these states represent a combination of traditional and nontraditional certification programs which are currently offered the United States.; A survey was sent to teacher preparation programs in these six states, seeking information related to the types of certification, whether traditional or nontraditional or both, and information to clarify program guidelines. The survey data was then analyzed to determine the entry requirements, and program components such as content, pedagogy, human development, student teaching and internship experiences.; A follow-up survey was given to graduates from these teacher preparation programs in each of the six states. The graduates were selected by program directors as typical graduates from these teacher preparation programs. Each graduate was asked questions about their demographic background, the type of certification they hold, and their preparedness to perform teaching and learning responsibilities.; Surveys for this study were modeled after the 1999 National Center for Education Statistics study Teacher Quality: A Report on the Preparation and Qualifications of Public School Teachers. The national study has data on traditional certification which is referred to as regular or standard; and nontraditional certification of teachers, such as alternative, provisional, probationary, temporary, and emergency. It was found that the states selected for this study were similar to the national study in terms of the percent of traditionally and nontraditionally certified teachers.; Among the six states' teacher preparation programs, similarities were found in entry requirements and program components. Similarities were also found among the graduates, from both traditional and nontraditional teacher preparation programs, in their sense of preparedness to handle classroom responsibilities, except in communicating with colleagues. |
