Descriptive Profile and Survey of Alternatively Certified Texas Music Educators

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the features of Texas’s Alternative Route to Certification (ARC) programs in music education, the demographics and prior experiences of program completers, and the employment of ARC completers in K–12 public schools. Data were collected from the State Board of Educator Certification about demographics and employment information for all individuals who completed ARC programs in music education between 2002 and 2012 ( N = 1,200), and individuals from that population were surveyed concerning their experiences ( n = 214). Survey respondents completed programs that varied widely in duration, features, instructional modalities, and providing institutions. Music educator gender and ethnicity were significantly associated with the route used to pursue alternative certification. Relative to the distribution of music teaching positions across the state, ARC completers were disproportionately employed in large urban districts, charter school districts, and in districts with large proportions of economically disadvantaged students.