Specialized Middle-Level Teacher Preparation: A Comprehensive Review of Teacher Education Programs

• In Event: 65.079 - Roundtable Session 23
  In Roundtable Session: 65.079-12 - Unpacking Teacher Education Programs: Questions About the Content and Consistency of These Programs

Abstract

Since William Alexander’s (1963;1995) call for attention to the need for specialized middle level teacher preparation in 1963, 45 states have created requirements for middle level certification, licensure, or endorsement(AMLE, 2013) which have led to institutions of teacher preparation creating programs designed to prepare candidates to teach grades 5-9. Because of questions raised about content and consistency of these programs, this study systematically documents the number of middle level teacher preparation programs in 1,316 institutions from 50 states and DC. The findings reveal that even though 45 states have explicit mandates for middle level certification/licensure/endorsement, almost half of the institutions preparing teachers for grades 5-9 do not offer courses or experiences specific to middle grades education.

Authors

• Penny B. Howell, University of Louisville

• Chris Cook, Appalachian State University

• Shawn A. Faulkner, Northern Kentucky University

• Nicole C. Miller, Mississippi State University

• Nicole L. Thompson, The University of Memphis

• David B. Strahan, Western Carolina University