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Teacher Training & ReCertification

This study focuses on the effectiveness of teacher preparation and recertification policies.

Like every state, Washington State has longstanding requirements for initial entry into the teacher workforce. Washington’s standards are relatively stringent, in the sense that to-date it has not relied much on alternative routes into the profession as a source of new teachers. Washington also has a second-tier credentialing system, currently undergoing revision, referred to as the Professional Certificate or "ProCert."

This project Washington State data to answer four questions:

1. How much of the variation in teacher effectiveness is associated with the different training programs (for both first- and second-tier credentials)?
   
   
2. What are the magnitudes of the student achievement effects from having obtained a first- or second-tier credential from one institution versus another?
   
   
3. Does graduation from certain training programs predict teacher mobility or attrition from the state system?
   
   
4. Does a second-tier credential (ProCert) do a better job of predicting effectiveness than first-tier credentialing programs?

The results of this study should help Washington State policymakers begin thinking about using their policy levers to assess, learn from, and improve teacher preparation programs.

For more information and recent findings, see the following publications:

Goldhaber, D., Liddle, S., & Theobald, R. (2012). The Gateway to the Profession: Teacher Preparation Programs Based on Student Achievement. CEDR Working Paper no. 2012-4. Center for Education Data & Research (CEDR), University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Goldhaber, D. & Liddle, S. (2011). The Gateway to the Profession. Assessing Teacher Preparation Programs Based on Student Achievement. CEDR Working Paper 2011-2. University of Washington, Seattle, WA.