The Adoption of Alternate Route Teacher Certification Laws Among U.S. States

• In Event: 523 - Section on Sociology of Education Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 04.The Role and Influence of Teachers: Session II

Abstract

This paper applies organizational theories of diffusion, specifically the unified, additive form of the heterogeneous model of diffusion, to explain a specific policy trend – alternative teacher certification – that is a response to public concerns over teacher shortages and teacher quality. Starting first in 1983 in New Jersey, alternate certification laws allow potential teachers without a Bachelor's degree in Education -- but a BA degree in something else -- to become certified to teach. These laws have steadily spread state-by-state, so that by 1990, 31 states had at least one alternate route, and by 2006 all states had an alternate route. Using several data sources and event-history analyses, we modeled this spread using Strang and Tuma’s (1993) heterogeneous diffusion model which allows us to separate the intrinsic propensity of a state to adopt a law or a policy innovation from the social influence exerted by various interest groups that are for and against the policy and the adoption behavior of other states. Among the causal factors we considered, three produce relatively consistent effects. On the educational front, states that spend more on instruction as a proportion of their educational budget are less likely to adopt AC routes. Membership in teachers’ unions reduces the propensity of states to adopt AC routes or be influenced by prior adopters. And states with a higher rate of female labor force participation are more likely to adopt AC routes.

Authors

• Jennifer Lauren Nelson, Emory University

• Anand Swaminathan, Emory University