UNIT 1. Candidate Development

10 Weeks
All levels
12 lessons
0 quizzes
2 students

The development of teacher candidates or prospective teachers has long been identified as essential to teacher quality and diversity (Goodlad, 1990; The Holmes Group, 1986, 1998). But preservice pathways– including university-based teacher education programs and alternative certification routes– typically have worked with individual teachers and schools, not district central office HR units (Burroughs et al., 2020; Burton & Greher, 2007; Teitel, 1994). The lack of central HR engagement has likely contributed to common limitations with candidate development including misalignment between the candidates that preservice pathways produce and what districts need, as well as the variable quality of graduates (Anderson & Stillman, 2013). But in the past decade, some district HR units have begun to expand their engagement with candidate development in ways that are promising for improving  teacher quality and diversity. 

How have HR units typically participated in the development of teacher candidates? What pivots have some HR units made that research associates with improved support for teacher quality and diversity? 

The following modules help you work through those questions to enhance your HR unit’s participation in the development of teacher candidates in service of those results.