This article examines the need for preparing highly qualified teachers and the challenge of preparing future generations of citizens. Examining the historical antecedents of "highly qualified," beginning with the 1954 "Brown" decision, I ground my position on the role of schools and colleges of education in preparing educators…

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) was established in 1987 and charged with the mission of improving the quality of teaching and public education. The National Board certification system involves three critical elements: (1) standards setting; (2) assessment instruments; and (3) professional development. This Digest…

The organization, scope, and activities of the Indiana Occupational Competency Testing Center were expanded to accommodate the requirements of the new Occupational Specialist Certificate for secondary vocational teacher credentialling. A pilot project involved three regional sites in the state. The director of the host area site acted as area…

A state-by-state overview of activities related to teacher policies and 11 tables reflecting types of policies in the states are presented in this working paper. Table 1 shows that most states require teacher education students to complete specific programs or coursework and that many also require some demonstration of competence. Table 2…

This competency-based program guide provides course content information and procedures for Florida secondary schools, postsecondary vocational schools, and community colleges conducting programs in residential and commercial plumbing. The first section is on legal authority, which applies to all vocational education programs in Florida. The second…

The selections in this anthology are organized to reflect the two differing perspectives in teacher education. These perspectives are represented on the one hand by those who believe guidelines and the time-honored practices in teacher preparation form a sufficient base for the development of programs to prepare teachers (Perspective 1), and on…

Foreign language educators should make themselves known in the field of bilingual education because they have a good deal to offer. While bilingual education differs basically from foreign language programs in that it entails the use of two languages for all or part of the curriculum and not simply instruction in the language as such, it does…

Initial problems in developing desired social studies teachers' characteristics are identifying what good social studies instruction in the secondary school is, qualities a teacher must possess, and behaviors he or she must be able to demonstrate. Possible sources for standards are clock hours of work or number of courses; teacher recommendations;…

THE FIRST FOUR ARTICLES IN THIS COLLECTION DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY WHICH DEVELOPED THE GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH AND EXPLAIN THE USE OF THE GUIDELINES. FOLLOWING ARTICLES EVALUATE THE TEACHER'S ROLE AS A PROFESSIONAL, REVIEW THE HISTORY OF THE PREPARATION OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH, AND SUMMARIZE THE HISTORY OF…

The purposes of this study were to assess the status of recruitment, preparation, certification, and retention practices and procedures concerning day trade teachers, and to assess the effectiveness of these practices as expressed by day trade teachers, local administrators, and state administrators in the states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota,…

The first four articles in this collection disucss the importance of the study which developed the Guidelines for the Preparation of Teachers of English and explain the use of the guidelines. Following articles evaluate the teacher's role as a professional, review the history of the preparation of teachers of English, and summarize the history of…

This paper presents preliminary findings from three of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) surveys of interest to teachers of English as a second language (ESL): (1) the Survey of Income and Education (SIE) conducted in 1976; (2) the Teachers Language Skills Survey (TLSS) conducted in 1976-77; and (3) the Survey of Institutions of…

The preparation of preservice teachers plays a major role in closing the achievement gap in the education of urban children. Urban teachers often do not understand how their low expectations and deficit assumptions influence their instructional practices and contribute to a widening achievement gap between urban and non-urban students. Many…

For some time, leaders in special education have expressed the desire for a national overview of State certification requirements for teachers of exceptional children who, because of their limitations and their particular needs, require special help. This bulletin, prepared as a part of an Office of Education Study, "Qualification and Preparation…

The history of British teacher training is chronicled briefly, and recent changes in British preservice teacher education are examined. The changes include formation of an accreditation body chosen by the government, a more competence-based curriculum, and a certification scheme designed to boost the number of teachers available. Problems arising…