With vetted data from state department of education websites, the authors undertook to update previous studies of special education licensure. They organized state licensure structures by the presence or absence of (a) grade bands and (b) differentiations (by category or severity). They assessed the impact of structure on student outcomes and…

This report reviews what is known about alternative routes to certification (ARC) in special education. First, it defines ARC and discusses the confluence of factors that has hastened its growth and popularity, particularly in specialized, high-need areas such as special education. Factors cited include persistent shortages of qualified personnel,…

This response to five case studies of inclusive practices for elementary students with learning disabilities identifies problems inherent in inclusive education (e.g., coteaching and logistics) and suggests that fundamental school reform offers an alternative that meets recognized best-practice standards and requires the trained skills of learning…

In this article, we present findings from a comparative study of 3 teacher preparation prototypes: traditional, university-district partnership, and district add-on programs. Samples of program graduates were observed during their 1st year of teaching using the Praxis III assessment. A larger sample completed a follow-up questionnaire assessing…