Teacher professionalism and educational restructuring have the same goal--to make teachers more responsive to their students. To transform teaching into an authentic profession involves six changes: reforming teacher education and licensing, restructuring schools, reforming unions, improving accountability, and bettering salaries and working…

A serious teacher shortage is causing some school leaders to reconsider differentiated staffing within the teaching profession--the idea that individuals with differing levels of expertise and different titles can enhance other staff's effectiveness. Higher salaries and publicly disclosed diplomas and licenses are essential. (MLH)

For the past decade, the teaching profession has been building a system of quality assurance incorporating seven elements: advanced certification, licensing standards, curriculum standards, alignment, accreditation, professional-development schools, and state standards boards. NCATE-accredited institutions produce more qualified teachers than…

Until recently, the teaching profession has lacked "official" accreditation standards. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has developed rigorous standards that have been adopted by about 500 institutions offering teacher education. NCATE-accredited institutions are held accountable for subject matter,…

Outlines National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) criteria for accreditation of teacher education programs and suggests that parents find out about their school's teachers, ask principals and school boards to hire teachers from NCATE-accredited schools, and insist on teachers being trained in standards of their subject area…

Case studies were conducted in six school districts nationwide to examine teacher selection in terms of policy and organizational context, organizational characteristics, selection processes, and effects. Interviews were conducted in each district with directors of personnel, superintendents, staff involved in the selection process, directors of…

This book argues that the current process for teacher licensing does not always guarantee competence in the classroom, and it offers advice on how to prepare and evaluate aspiring teachers for the challenges of their profession. It places Minnesota's experience in the context of current reform efforts and suggests that developing and requiring a…

The articles in this special section on quality assurance describe current and future efforts to create a coherent system of teacher preparation and development. Various experts discuss the status of the teaching profession, new accreditation and licensing developments, state reform movements, National Board Certification effects, and the need for…

Candidates at schools of education accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) will be expected to show mastery of their fields' content knowledge and demonstrate that they can teach effectively. Administrators will have to demonstrate skill in creating an effective learning environment. (MLH)