NCTQ: Yearbook: Alternate Route Eligibility: Connecticut

Analysis of Connecticut's policies

The Alternate Route to Certification (ARC) requires all candidates to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree with a major in, or closely related to, the intended teaching field. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA or the same minimum average in 24 semester hours of graduate study. A waiver may be granted in some extenuating circumstances.

ARC applicants must also pass a test of basic skills. SAT, ACT or GRE scores may be used in place of the basic skills test requirement. Although Connecticut requires candidates to pass a subject-matter test prior to entering the classroom, it is not required for admission to the alternate route program.

Connecticut does not offer all candidates a test-out option for required coursework. However, select candidates in an identified teacher shortage area, including English, mathematics, secondary sciences, music and world languages, are able to demonstrate subject-matter knowledge through a passing score on the Praxis II.

Citation

Recommendations for Connecticut

Require applicants to pass a subject-matter test prior to admission.
Connecticut should consider requiring the subject-matter test for admission to ARC. The concept behind alternate routes is that the nontraditional candidate is able to concentrate on acquiring professional knowledge and skills because he or she has strong subject-area knowledge. It seems ineffective to accept candidates and subsequently spend time training an individual who may not possess the required content knowledge.

Extend flexibility in fulfilling coursework requirements to all candidates.
Although Connecticut is recognized for allowing shortage area candidates the ability to demonstrate subject-matter knowledge on the Praxis II, the state should consider whether it is appropriate to allow any candidate who already has the requisite knowledge and skills to demonstrate such by passing a rigorous test.

Eliminate basic skills test requirement.
The state's requirement that alternate route candidates pass a basic skills test is impractical and ineffectual. Although the state does allow candidates a waiver based on a range of evidence, Connecticut should consider eliminating the basic skills test requirement completely. Basic skills tests measure minimum competency—essentially those skills that a person should have acquired in middle school—and are inappropriate for candidates who have already earned a bachelor's degree. A test designed for individuals who already have a bachelor's degree, such as the GRE, would be a much more appropriate measure of academic standing.

State response to our analysis

Connecticut indicated that it allows applicants for certification to teach in an identified subject shortage area to substitute the achievement of an excellent score, as determined by the State Board of Education (SBOE), on any appropriate SBOE approved subject areas assessment.

Alternate Route Eligibility: Connecticut

Analysis of Connecticut's policies

Recommendations for Connecticut

State response to our analysis

Connecticut

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Delivering Well Prepared Teachers

Expanding the Pool of Teachers

Identifying Effective Teachers

Retaining Effective Teachers

Exiting Ineffective Teachers

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Research rationale

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Alternate Route Eligibility: Connecticut

Analysis of Connecticut's policies

Recommendations for Connecticut

State response to our analysis

Connecticut

Select another topic

Delivering Well Prepared Teachers

Expanding the Pool of Teachers

Identifying Effective Teachers

Retaining Effective Teachers

Exiting Ineffective Teachers

Pensions

Research rationale

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