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The Case for a Third Alternative

Today, the nation is facing an unprecedented teacher shortage, which will undoubtedly result in increased attention to alternative certification programs as a possible means of addressing the school-staffing crisis. For the past decade, much has centered on the tensions between school, college, and department of education (SCDE) programs and alternative programs, and the relative merits and drawbacks of two delivery systems—one in which candidates complete initial certification prior to employment and one that provides training to candidates while they are employed as full-time teachers. The authors advocate a third alternative for midcareer teacher candidates, one that encompasses the strengths and minimizes the weaknesses of the two predominant delivery systems currently available. This alternative is the comprehensive, accelerated, customer-oriented teacher preparation program, coupled with an intensive induction support system. The authors describe one such program and discuss the compelling reasons for SCDEs nationwide to consider moving in this direction.