NCTQ

Methodology: High school preparation

On the face of it, evaluating teacher preparation at the secondary level relative to this standard would seem fairly straightforward because subject matter preparation and professional preparation are more compartmentalized than in elementary programs. Indeed, when considering certification in English and mathematics, evaluating preparation is straightforward. We evaluated each Illinois secondary preparation program that offered certification in English and mathematics by a simple standard: evidence that the program requires at least 30 credit hours (the commonly accepted definition of a major) in English or mathematics coursework, respectively.

The complications in evaluating subject matter preparation for secondary teachers arise because the large majority of states, Illinois included, offer certification in the sciences and social sciences such that teachers with specialization in one subject area may also teach other subject areas.¹ Secondary teacher candidates in Illinois who wish to teach in the social sciences can select any one of a number of social science majors (history, government, economics, geography, psychology, or anthropology and sociology). Then—simply by passing a licensing test on which about one half of the questions focus on their area of specialization but which covers all the other subjects as well—they can be certified to teach their area of specialization at the honors or Advanced Placement (AP) level and any of the other social sciences at the general level. To receive a "designation" that allows them to instruct above the general level in another area of the social sciences, these teachers simply need to pass the licensing test in that new area, a test that focuses on the area of the social sciences in question. The situation is analogous in the sciences.²

Leaving aside the obvious problems with and possible alternatives to this approach to certification, the relevant issue for this standard is how to evaluate teacher preparation for the social sciences and sciences. Certainly requiring a major (30 semester hours) in each of the subjects for which certification will be granted by licensing examination is unrealistic, but requiring anything less than at least four minors (15 semester hours each) for social studies and science certifications is clearly inadequate. NCTQ's standard calls for secondary certification programs preparing a teacher to teach four or more subjects to require at least a minor in at least four subjects. While this sounds daunting, it is in fact only the credit equivalent of a double major.

Because all four types of certification are not offered at all Illinois programs, scores are scaled by summing the points awarded to each certification, dividing the result by the number of certifications offered and multiplying the quotient by four.

Requirements for secondary teacher candidates at graduate programs were evaluated for this standard on the basis of their transcript review process.