The Changing Landscape of Teacher Preparation in the United States

Abstract

The headlines don't lie. K12 schoolhouses across the United States are struggling to fill classroom teacher vacancies. The lack of licensed teachers in K12 has been trickling down from higher education for years. The work of these universities in preparing tomorrow's teachers is further exacerbated by conflicting pressures and priorities at the local and state levels. Universities that train teachers are bracketed by state departments of education raising the standards of quality for teachers, while at the same time, local legislators who are hearing the loud cries from K12 school leaders for more teachers are clearing the way for teacher candidates to bypass traditional teacher training and licensure programs. The author examined four critical issues impacting the teaching profession and presented a university's response to each identified issue.