Let’s Get Back on Track.

Derailment 1. Teacher preparation is expensive, and it doesn't equip candidates with the skills they need to be classroom-ready.

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 Before being certified, more than 90% of candidates enroll in one of the state’s traditional educator preparation programs. The tuition at these programs is expensive relative to a new teacher's earning potential.

 

There are two other considerable financial deterrents for candidates with economic constraints: unpaid student teaching prerequisites and exams required by the state. The initial cost of certification fees and exams can be as much as $1,000.

 

On top of the time and expense related to preparation, few of these requirements are aligned to classroom needs. Current teachers frequently express that their preparation coursework felt outdated and unrelated to the skills they needed to be effective in the classroom. Likewise, research on the value of the exams required by the state shows that they are not always predictive of classroom effectiveness. 

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Resources:

United States Department of Education website. 2022 Title II Reports. Retrieved September 2023.

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Center for Public Research and Leadership (2023). Connecticut Educator Insights on Building a More Effective, Diverse Educator Workforce. Retrieved September 2023.