Nearly all states have some sort of alternative teaching certification to help funnel industry experts into teaching career and technical education, finds a new study of state career-tech education teachers, led by Advance CTE, a group that represents state and district officials in career-technical education.
Ninety-one percent of the states in the surveys reported that they have alternative certification policies, the report found, but those are designed for full-time employment, and many people who might enrich a classroom aren’t ready or wiling to leave their professions to do so.
But the report noted 30 percent of state directors polled are concerned about quality of teachers from alternative programs. “Alternative certification must maintain a delicate balance between flexibility and quality in hiring practices,” the report said.
