Several problems exert force on teachers just entering the profession including mandated testing, public reporting, and the loss of the flexible contexts teacher preparation institutions had for developing undergraduate teacher candidates. Teacher training institutions are scrambling to implement more effective ways to prepare teachers without losing richness and thoroughness. The problems of entry level teacher quality and the opportunity to gain experience through substitute teaching are related. Enhancing the development of pre-service teacher quality is directly influenced by "real" teaching experience. The Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy is a palpable response undertaken by a Midwestern public college to provide these types of experiences for teacher candidates and how those experiences influenced the preparation of graduates for professional success.