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Key Issues
Time and Effort
While 2+2 programs contribute to student success and degree completion, faculty time is a significant obstacle to expanding such programs. A significant time commitment is required to negotiate transfer policies, course-to-course equivalencies and related articulation issues. This is especially true when requirements for an education major differ widely at four-year institutions across a region or state. The negotiations between institutions may become unworkable when community colleges students plan to transfer to differing four-year college programs and/or when universities accept students from a number of community colleges. With heavy workloads and few rewards for their efforts, faculty members may not find time to focus on this issue.
Upper-division Programs Accepting Lower-division Courses
Some baccalaureate teacher education programs designate all education courses that count toward the major as upper division 300- or 400-level courses. Fundamental courses and other prerequisites increasingly offered at community colleges are by definition at the lower-division level. These credits often are accepted for transfer in fulfillment of general education requirements, but may not be accepted toward departmental major requirements. When this happens, students often have to repeat coursework.
Complicated Certification Requirements
Many university-based education degrees have specific requirements for differing teacher education certifications. In addition, states often require teacher candidates to complete specific courses with prerequisites to qualify for specialized teaching certificates. The more complicated the certification requirements, the less likely a community college can offer an effective lower-division teacher education transfer program.
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