Teacher certification is an important topic in the history of teaching in American education. Policymakers have recognized that for students to meet high standards, their teachers must also be of high quality (Goldhaber, Perry & Anthony, 2004; McCaffrey, Lockwood, Koretz, & Hamilton, 2003). The National Board for Professional Teaching…

Persistent and consistent criticism of our nation's educational system has increased pressure on school districts and teacher education programs to improve the quality of teachers in our public schools. While there is research regarding the characteristics of effective teachers, the difficulty is often in identifying and hiring those teacher…

The potential traits and talents of giftedness in students are multidimensional; yet, some school districts in Georgia perpetuate barriers for students from minority and low socioeconomic backgrounds by relying solely on standardized test scores for gifted identification. The purpose of this case study was to explore the multidimensionality of…

This study explored the perceptions of school administrators and teacher educators regarding the effective use of portfolios in the process of hiring new teachers. Three questions helped to focus this study: (1) What are the perceptions of school administrators and teacher educators regarding the value and use of portfolios in the employment of…

This article describes the middle grades teacher preparation program at Augusta State University in Georgia. It describes the negotiation between the middle school concept and the standardized testing culture of the local schools as the faculty redesigned the undergraduate middle grades program to adequately address both. Ways in which new…