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Alternative Certification at Community Colleges
Even as states face increasing demands for new classroom teachers, enrollment in teacher preparation programs at many traditional universities has remained flat. One solution adopted by many states has been fast-track alternative certification programs (ACPs). ACPs are designed to certify new teacher candidates who already have baccalaureate degrees but who require additional education methods coursework and classroom experience.
ACPs can be found in nearly every state and are offered in a variety of formats through four-year colleges and universities, school districts, regional education service centers and for-profit education providers. A more recent development is the entrance of community colleges into the alternative certification marketplace. Generally, ACPs are structured in a way that reflects the institution where they are offered. For example, four-year institutions may offer graduate credit, while school districts may design their programs around workshops and seminars.
Community colleges, however, tend to be credit-based, requiring that students complete a certain number of credit hours in order to graduate. Community college programs offer flexible scheduling, online courses, and sometimes salaried classroom internships. In addition, ACPs at community colleges generally cost less and allow potential teachers to become certified within a shorter time period than traditional full-time baccalaureate teacher education programs.
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