Life in the Fast Track: How States Seek to Balance Incentives and Quality in Alternative Teacher Certification Programs

Part of a special issue on the politics of teacher and administrator preparation and development. A study examined several fast-track alternative teacher certification programs in 11 sites in Connecticut, Louisiana, and Massachusetts. Findings revealed that participants were attracted by the incentives of the fast-track programs but also expected to have coursework and student-teaching experiences that would prepare them well to teach, candidates were satisfied with what the programs offered but many wanted more preparation in content-based pedagogy and better student teaching placements, and there were advantages and disadvantages to centralized and decentralized approaches by the states to ensure quality of participants.