Selected Examples of High Quality Alternative Certification Programs

Program Name Target Recruits 2007-2008 Enrollment Locations of Operation Program Description/Model Components Program Benefits Program Duration Year Founded

Boston Teacher Residency BTR recruits a variety of highly qualified, motivated candidates, from recent college graduates to mid-career professionals approximately 120 teachers trained per year Boston BTR is a year-long teacher residency program that integrates classroom experience with coursework. It is bookended by two summer institutes. Graduates of the program earn a Massachusetts Initial Teacher Licensure in their primary academic area, partial credit toward dual licensure in special education, and an MA in education from UMass/Boston. A subsidized MA in Education, with costs fully forgiven after three years of teaching in Boston Public Schools. Residents may be eligible for AmeriCorps awards, and they receive a living stipend during the residency year. 1 year program; 3 year teaching commitment 2004

Teach for America recent college graduates 2892 incoming corps members in 2007 national TFA corps members go through a preservice summer training institute before their first year of teaching and complete teaching certification coursework and additional classes throughout their two years. TFA employs a Teaching as Leadership framework and focuses strongly on accountability metrics of student achievement, aiming for significant gains of 2 years of reading growth and 1.5 years of math growth in one calendar year. Corps members receive AmeriCorps awards for each of the two years they teach. They also receive subsidized certifications in teaching. 2 years 1990

The New Teacher Project new teachers in 2008, TNTP trained/hired approx. 3200 teachers; to date, TNTP has trained or hired approximately 33,000 teachers. national TNTP partners with school districts and states to recruit, train, place, and certify new teachers, with particular attention to improving the flow of high-quality teachers to low-performing schools. With district and/or university partners, TNTP develops and implements pre-service training, professional development, and certification programs that are specifically designed for teachers pursuing alternate routes to certification. TNTP facilitates the processs of obtaining alternative teaching certifications and teaching placements for non-education majors. 2-3 years 1997

New York City Teaching Fellows mid-career professionals and recent college graduates approximately 1600 fellows New York City NYC Teaching Fellows participate in a 7-week preservice summer training institute. Each fellow is assigned a mentor at his/her school, and all fellows complete a concurrent MA in education. Fellows work toward subsidized master’s degrees in education. 2-3 years 2000

Math for America recent college graduates and mid-career professionals with substantial coursework in mathematics the 2007 cohort consisted of 39 Fellows New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Diego Fellows attend a full-time MA in secondary math education program with coursework, student teaching, and classroom observation components. Fellows are then given placement assistance. Fellows receive scholarships toward MA degrees in education, stipends, mentoring, and placement support. 1 year program; 5 year teaching commitment 2004