Teacher shortages in some regions, schools and content areas have caused states to consider fast-tracking teachers into the classroom through avenues that include little or no clinical preparation. Teachers who enter the profession through these pathways are less likely to be prepared, less effective and less likely to remain in the profession than teachers who participate in clinical experience training. The impact of underprepared teachers is not distributed evenly, as teachers who lack clinical experience are most likely to be hired in Title I schools and in schools serving students of color. This Policy Brief provides an overview of different clinical preparation models, a summary of key research on the benefits of robust clinical experience for recruiting and retaining an effective teacher workforce, and examples of state-level policies that support high-quality teacher preparation, including how to leverage clinical experience to improve workforce diversity.