This article considers two policy initiatives that address the dilemma of increasing special education teacher numbers and improving quality: the No Child Left Behind law and the plan laid out in the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future policy blueprint. It then discusses teacher attrition and retainment strategies. (Contains…

This paper identifies demographic changes in the areas of poverty, single-parent families, teenage pregnancy, and educational achievement, with emphasis on increased vulnerability of minority populations. It also notes related challenges to the educational system in personnel recruitment and preparation, effective delivery of educational services…

The national supply of teachers has risen to meet the demand, largely because of the growing interest in alternative programs of teacher preparation. An overview is given of alternative teacher certification that has allowed many districts, especially large urban districts, to fill their vacancies. (SLD)

Presents results of a qualitative study of alternatively certified teachers from a large urban district in the Southwest, focusing on reasons for choosing alternative certification. Interviews with 100 teachers reveal a variety of reasons for choosing teaching and indicate that the alternative program increases the pool of qualified teachers. (SLD)

Examines how institutions can provide support for diversity in preservice teacher education, focusing on the institutional context in which teacher educators work as they craft multicultural teacher preparation programs. Support includes strong institutional leadership and a campuswide vision for change, recruitment and retention of diverse…

The Guam Education Policy Board initially adopted the Guam Public School System District Action Plan in May 2003. The DAP established the direction and details for improving academic performance in reading, math, and language arts by using the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act as a framework. The adopted DAP was also used as a basis for…

This document reports on the purpose, implementation, and outcomes of a policy forum on strategies used to address the disproportionate number of students from minority ethnic/racial groups receiving special education. Participants included representatives of state education agencies, local education agencies, the university/research community,…

Each year the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto (Ontario, Canada), receives applications from potential teachers with excellent profiles but who lack teaching experience. These applicants are possible candidates for the Teacher Apprenticeship Program (TAP), an alternative teacher education program. Those selected are placed in regular…

These conference proceedings provide an introduction to strategies and models for the recruitment and retention of minority teachers. Many of the programs described in this document demonstrate networking and partnerships, with team building between local school districts, state and local associations, universities, and community groups to enhance…

This document describes "Teach for America," a program which recruits outstanding college students who may not otherwise have considered teaching, provides them with an intensive training program, and places them for 2 years of teaching in inner-city and rural school districts with persistent teacher shortages. The report addresses: (1)…

This report describes the following five areas of compliance in the Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) public school Remedial Plan for Services to Asian Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students: (1) counseling services; (2) assignment of students to English-as-a-Second Language (ESOL) Levels 1 and 2; (3) pupil support committees (PSCs); (4)…

This project was designed to enhance and enlarge the pool of black teachers and to demonstrate the extent to which this intervention model could be effective in achieving this goal. The major activities of the project consisted of a series of faculty development workshops designed to hone faculty skills in test item analysis and construction, and…

The New York Public Library Centers for Reading and Writing developed a Saturday writing class for adult literacy students. The class design also provided an opportunity to train volunteers and professional teachers in this model of writing instruction. One project goal was to formulate suggestions for others setting up such courses, which follow.…

This report contains a transcript of the hearing discussing federal efforts in science and mathematics education held before the Subcommittee on Veterans Administration (VA), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Independent Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations. Spokespersons for the Executive Office of the President--Office of Science…

Nationally, Hispanics represent 3 percent of the teaching force and comprise nearly 10 percent of the population. Yet there appears to be little progress in the employment of minority, including Hispanic, teachers. This paper describes a survey administered to 605 high school seniors in Grand Rapids (Michigan) to determine attitudes of Hispanic…