Research Spotlight

COPSSE economists suggest that participants in step-up programs—such as paraprofessionals—are better bets for retention than mid-career changers from outside the public schools.

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There is concern that some alternative route programs may not allow enough time for candidates to develop their skills and knowledge. Alternative route programs usually are shorter than traditional ones, and they are structured to allow candidates to enter the classroom immediately or soon after beginning their studies.

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Differences exist between teachers who have prepared through alternative certification routes and their counterparts in traditional programs. Alternative route programs generally attract more males, individuals from ethnic and multicultural backgrounds, and individuals who are older than students in traditional programs.

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COPSSE research has shown that teachers who prepared through alternative routes do not feel prepared in establishing classroom control—a variable that is positively linked to teaching satisfaction and desire to remain in teaching.

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Questions & Answers

Q:How do we determine if a fast track alternative route is cost effective?

A:Cost effectiveness varies as a function of initial cost and attrition. Cost per capita and cost per capita three years out are important considerations. Low cost, fast track programs whose graduates leave teaching are not cost effective.

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Q:The district is interviewing new teacher candidates, many of whom are mid-career changers. What can we do to enhance the probability that these individuals will remain in teaching?

A:From a cost effectiveness perspective, there are several considerations. Ascertain each mid-career changer's motivation for shifting careers and look for individuals who are members of the community in which shortages exist, who come from careers that have similarities with education, and who will not lose substantial income.

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Notify Me with Updates

Alternative Certification

More than 25,000 special education teachers prepare through alternative routes each year. Alternative certification routes are designed to provide entry into the teaching profession to individuals who otherwise would have limited access. COPSSE research guides policymaker decision making on the cost effectiveness and outcomes of alternative certification routes.

Date	Type	Title/Description	Download
04/19/2007	Presentation	Alternative Routes to Certification Provides further findings from the analyses of alternative route special education preparation programs.	Download Full Document
11/09/2006	Presentation	Special Education Teacher Education: An Update Presents overviews of research in the areas of special education teacher supply and demand; attrition and retention; initial preparation and beginning teacher quality; technology applications in teacher education; the current status of alternative route preparation and teacher preparation cost effectiveness.	Download Full Document
11/08/2006	Presentation	Alternative Route Programs for Certification in Special Education: What We Know About Program Design, Instructional Delivery, and Participant Characteristics Provides recent findings from initial and secondary analyses of a comprehensive database of alternative route special education preparation programs.	Download Full Document
11/08/2006	Presentation	Cost Effectiveness of Teacher Preparation Routes Presents findings from University of Florida and Johns Hopkins University researchers concerning their study of cost and cost effectiveness with a focus on alternative routes and their design.	Download Full Document
10/03/2005	Presentation	Traditional and Test-Only Routes to Special Education: How Experiences and School Variables Influence Classroom Practice Examines how experiences and school variables influence special education classroom practice.	Download Full Document
06/21/2005	Report	Teacher Education Research Agenda Overviews COPSSE research agenda that documents the scope and complexity of preparing special education personnel.	Download Full Document
06/20/2005	Report	Alternatively and Traditionally Certified Beginning Special Educators: Do They Differ in Terms of Demographic Profile, Teaching Location, and Ratings of Self-Efficacy? Describes COPSSE plan for studying special education teachers who prepared through alternative routes.	Download Full Document
06/20/2005	Report	Alternative Route Programs in Special Education: What States Are Offering and What We Know About Them Describes COPSSE research plan for studying alternative special education certification routes.	Download Full Document
06/20/2005	Report	Cost Effectiveness of Preparation Options Overviews COPSSE research plan for studying the cost effectiveness of alternative certification routes.	Download Full Document
04/01/2005	Presentation	*Meeting No Child Left Behind’s Highly Qualified Requirement Via Alternative Route Training: Opportunities and Pitfalls* Considers evidence showing effectiveness of special education preparation routes.	Download Full Document
02/01/2005	Research Preview	Special Education Alternative Route Certification Programs—What Do We Know About Them? Describes program development trends.	Download Full Document
02/01/2005	Research Preview	Special Education Teachers Who Prepared Through Alternative Certification Routes—What Do We Know About Them? Describes characteristics of teachers who prepared through alternative route programs.	Download Full Document
02/01/2005	Research Preview	Increasing Supply—Are Some Alternative Route Options More Cost Effective Than Others? Discusses how cost effectiveness varies as a function of cost and attrition.	Download Full Document
02/01/2005	Research Preview	Mid-Career Changers—Here To Stay or Passing Through? Discusses the challenges of keeping mid-career changers from leaving teaching.	Download Full Document
02/01/2004	Workforce Watch	Are All Special Education Teacher Preparation Routes Equal? What States Should Know About Alternative Route Certification Programs Overviews alternative certification route program elements and describes indicators of promising programs.	Download Full Document
02/01/2004	Workforce Watch	Are All Special Education Teacher Preparation Routes Equal? What District Administrators Should Know About Alternative Route Certification Programs Overviews alternative certification route program elements and describes indicators of promising programs.	Download Full Document
02/01/2004	Workforce Watch	Diversifying the Special Education Workforce—District Recruitment and Retention Strategies Overviews supply needs for teachers from diverse backgrounds and suggests recruitment and retention strategies.	Download Full Document
11/15/2003	Presentation	An Analysis of Alternatively Prepared Teachers Using the Schools and Staffing Survey Describes demographics of special education teachers who prepared through alternative certification routes.	Download Full Document
11/01/2003	Presentation	Indexing and Describing Alternative Routes to Certification Describes the breadth and depth of alternative route special education certification routes.	Download Full Document
04/01/2003	Research Synthesis	The Status of Licensure of Special Education Teachers in the 21st Century Discusses results from two national studies on licensure and alternative licensure practices.	Download Full Document Download Summary
04/01/2003	Research Synthesis	The Proliferation of Alternative Routes to Certification in Special Education: A Critical Review of the Literature Identifies features associated with successful alternative certification routes.	Download Full Document Download Summary