This research investigated the impact of teacher certification pathways (traditional vs. alternative) on teacher self-efficacy levels; it explicitly focused on elementary teachers in Title I and non-Title I schools. The research context addressed the prevalent issue of teacher shortages in U.S. school districts, which often led to reliance on…

Both early-career teachers (ECTs) and alternatively prepared teachers (APTs) have been shown to have an exceptionally high attrition rate as they attempt to adjust to a new and strange profession, leaving early-career alternatively prepared teachers as an especially at-risk cross-section of the teaching force (Podolsky et al., 2019). Yet much of…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how alternatively certified teachers who teach upper elementary in urban public schools describe the support needed in the teacher learning process to develop and retain alternatively certified teachers in the western United States. It was not known how alternatively certified…

Schools in economically marginalized areas often have a disproportionate number of low-performing or ineffective teachers and face challenges in recruiting and retaining highly effective teachers. The grow your own (GYO) model recruits and trains recent high school graduates and school employees who are interested in becoming classroom teachers.…

With the gradual improvement of open teacher selection mechanisms, the comparison of traditionally and alternatively certified teachers has become one of the international focuses in teacher research. Current studies have compared teachers of different certification pathways from multidimensional perspectives; however, no study has yet compared…

Alternative pathways to licensure (APL) programs have proliferated nationally as a potential solution to the ongoing critical shortage of qualified special education professionals. Although these programs attract more diverse teacher candidates, they have been criticized for a lack of preparation and support provided to new professionals. This…

School districts have been challenged to ensure all students received a high-quality education from highly qualified teachers; therefore, the role of teacher certification and preparedness must be thoroughly investigated. This study examined if there was a statistically significant difference in the interaction between age, gender, ethnicity, and…

The purpose of this mixed-methods research study in Southeast Louisiana was to explore factors that impact certified public elementary school teachers' decision to remain in the education profession focused on how these factors contribute to teacher retention through job satisfaction or lead to teacher attrition through job dissatisfaction. Phase…

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative research study was to explore instructional methods that support alternatively certified and traditional route teachers in grades K-12. This research study describes the lived experiences and perceptions of teachers' instructional methods used for increasing teaching practices, and classroom strategies.…

Understanding teacher candidates' (TCs') developmental needs and framing teacher preparation with those in mind can provide education programs with actionable ways to further TC development that generate positive outcomes for them and their students. This novel case study explored four initial certification TCs' teacher performance and stages of…

Induction programmes can support new teachers to succeed in the profession (Smith and Ingersoll 2004). These programs can be particularly helpful for alternatively certified (AC) teachers, who enter the profession through non-traditional measures. AC programmes are commonly defined as 'any pathway into teaching other than the traditional, college-…

This study investigates the effectiveness of alternative routes to teacher certification in urban school districts within Texas. The need for teachers across the United States has increased because current teachers are leaving the profession at high rates. This research analyzes the programs regarding teacher preparation routes, teacher…

Texas reduced new teacher preparation requirements in 2001 to allow more alternate paths to licensure. Within 5 years, this policy change resulted in more than half of the state's new teachers being alternatively licensed. Using a series of first difference models, this study examines the relationship between the increased supply of new teachers…

Co-teaching is recognized as a best practice that is increasingly being utilized to meet the needs of diverse learners in the classroom. All teachers need to be prepared to meet the needs of diverse learners, including students with disabilities. However, few teacher preparation programs lead to dual certification in general and special education,…

Schools across the nation faced a teacher shortage, and North Carolina was no exception. North Carolina leaders used alternatively licensed teachers to fill vacancies. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive study was to compare beginning alternatively licensed teachers' perceptions to principals' perceptions of the needed and implemented…