This qualitative phenomenological study was designed to examine the lived experiences of teachers who obtained their licenses through nontraditional routes to identify factors that contribute to teacher success. Public schools in the United States are experiencing a teacher shortage. To staff these shortages, alternative paths to licensure will be…

Within South Carolina, many programs encourage and support teachers in their first year of teaching. In addition, extensive research describes the importance of support for alternatively certified teachers. However, alternatively certified teachers have received less educational training than teachers following a traditional pathway. Individual…

Teacher education reforms worldwide have reinforced a narrative that 'high-quality' teaching and teachers are the most significant contributors to raising education achievement, reducing societal inequities, and boosting economic development. Consequently, countries have put substantial efforts into regulating initial teacher education (ITE) to…

This qualitative descriptive study explores the perspectives of alternatively certified novice teachers regarding onboarding processes associated with district-selected curriculum in Louisiana during their first year of teaching. Addressing the issue of insufficient onboarding support, which impacts curriculum implementation, the study uses the…

Purpose: This study investigated differences in (a) completion of teaching methods courses and (b) participation in professional development opportunities between alternatively and traditionally certified physical educators. Method: The sample included 1,850 physical educators (mean age: 42.7 years, male: 61.7%, female: 38.3%) from the 2017 to…

Lortie's original conception of the apprenticeship of observation was one of conservative schooling practice and negative impact on teacher learning for school change. Schooling practices have changed in the 60 years since the original research that established the apprenticeship of observation as launch pad to teaching, changing prospective…

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) approved the first nationally registered K-12 teacher apprenticeship program in January 2022, opening the door to a rapidly growing pathway for prospective teachers. DOL has now approved registered teacher apprenticeships in more than 30 states. Kentucky's first program is registered through the Kentucky Career…

The number of teachers entering the profession through alternative teacher licensure pathways has increased dramatically in the last 10 years. The preparation these teachers receive can vary widely, making specially designed novice teacher induction programs crucial for their success. This professional practice dissertation examined the…

This qualitative case study delved into the experiences of the first cohort of teachers who completed the Teacher Accelerator Program's (TAP) summer internship, exploring the professional development training provided to novice teachers by this newly established alternative teacher preparation program. Originating as a response to the local…

Utilizing Wenger's (1998) work of Communities of Practice and hermeneutic phenomenology, the purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of participation among alternatively certified agriculture teachers in the agriculture teacher community of practice. Two themes emerged as we interpreted the findings: (1) we're all in this together, and…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine how certification status impacts turnover intention, to research provided assistance, and to meet professional learning needs in novice teachers in eastern Kentucky. Understanding differences in needs of teachers, based upon certification type, is critical in reducing the rate of attrition…

In the United States, there exists a significant disparity between the racial demographics of teachers and students, with a majority of educators being white. This mismatch underscores the critical shortage of teachers of color (TOC). While race does not determine teacher quality, a teacher's race, ethnicity, and language do shape the experiences…

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…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine how certification status impacts turnover intention, to research provided assistance, and to meet professional learning needs in novice teachers in eastern Kentucky. Understanding differences in needs of teachers, based upon certification type, is critical in reducing the rate of attrition…

There is a teacher shortage in Oklahoma. To address this teacher shortage, the Oklahoma Department of Education has eased restrictions by providing an alternative pathway into the classroom called emergency-certification. The lack of traditionally prepared teachers entering the profession, coupled with untrained emergency-certified teachers…