Adding to the mounting debate about how our nation's teaching force should be trained, Congress is offering another alternative to traditional teacher preparation. The proposed bill encourages states to authorize teacher training academies that aren't tied to institutions of higher education and offers incentives for their creation.

One significant way in which the proposed approach diverges from traditional teacher prep is by requiring prospective teachers to prove they are effective before they graduate. The bill would also require a heavy emphasis on applicant selection as well as on clinical training. (NB: Coming this July, NCTQ will release an in-depth look at the clinical training provided by traditional teacher prep.)