The most significant variable in driving the alternative teacher certification movement forward is this changing market for teaching.

Good alternative teacher certification programs are market-driven. The programs are designed specifically to meet the demand for teachers in geographic areas and in subject areas where the demand for teachers is greatest. Prospective teachers are recruited to meet those specific demands

Nearly all of the states now have some type of alternative to going back to college and majoring in education in order to become a teacher.

The bottom line is the nation is hiring -- and is projected to need to hire -- approximately 45,000 newly minted teachers per year.

While criticisms of alternative teacher certification continue among a small band of educational researchers, the criticisms are based more on lack of definition, faulty data and biases than on actual facts.

The bottom line is there is a demand for high quality teachers in certain subject areas in select parts of this country. There is a huge population of non-traditional candidates -- life experienced adults from many walks of life -- who want to meet that demand.

Alternative routes to teacher certification are having a major impact on many aspects of the teaching occupation in the United States. More men, more non-whites, more mature, life-experienced, educated individuals are teaching in the nation’s K-12 schools as a result of a proliferation of alternative routes to teacher certification throughout the country.

In many private schools, teachers are not required to be certified, but these schools perform as well as or better than public schools where teachers are required to be certified.

Certification tests ensure that there is a nationalized or state-wide standard for the teaching profession.

Studies have not yet proven that certification requirements are inadequate. Education schooling can instill many important skills in prospective teachers, such as classroom management and lesson plan design.