How Do Alternatively and Traditionally Certified Beginning Workforce Development Teachers Feel About Their Preparedness?

Retaining highly qualified teachers is critical since about 40% of teachers leave within the first four years. Over the past few decades, there has been a rise in alternatively certified Development, which has the highest percentage of teachers that enter the profession through alternative certification. However, there is a debate on whether or not a teacher entering the profession through an alternative pathway is as effective as a teacher certified through a traditional pathway. One of the critical factors in determining teacher effectiveness is how prepared a beginning teacher feels when entering the classroom. To identify how these beginning teachers perceive their preparedness when entering the classroom, this study analyzes self-reported data from the 2015–2016 National Teacher and Principal Survey to compare the perceived preparedness of alternatively and traditionally certified teachers. The results show that within the field of Workforce Development, traditionally certified teachers felt statistically teachers filling empty positions due to a teacher shortage. This is particularly true in Workforce significantly more prepared to enter the classroom than alternatively certified teachers. Also, within the individual constructs of Workforce Development, traditionally certified teachers felt statistically significantly more prepared in six of the ten areas. By better understanding the level of perceived preparedness of beginning Workforce Development teachers from both alternative and traditional certification pathways, teachers can be better supported to increase their effectiveness in the classroom.