The Role of the Community College in Teacher Education - New Directions for Community Colleges Series No. 121 - Book Review

Community College Review, Fall, 2003 by Audrey J. Jaeger

The most controversial option presented in this volume is the offering of a baccalaureate degree in education by a community college. Chapter 6 discusses how this non-traditional option was negotiated at St. Petersburg College in Florida. In 2001, St. Petersburg was identified as a pilot site for a community college baccalaureate program in teacher education. In accordance with Florida law, St. Petersburg College was required to show demand for its program from community partners and constituents, demonstrate that the need for teachers was not being met elsewhere, and show that they had the facilities and resources to deliver the program.

One final area of teacher education discussed in this volume is professional development and in-service teacher education programs. This area of involvement receives limited attention in the text, although it could be a key element in teacher retention. Discussion of teacher retention is absent from the state case studies. Two chapters provide insight into particular in-service programs. Victor Valley College in California (Chapter 3) offers a certificate program in educational technology that attracts many teachers seeking to enhance their professional skills. Chapter 5 gives examples of several efforts in the Arizona community college system, including unique collegial relationships across institutional types, teachers creating courses for teachers, ESL initiatives, and more. The next step, which is missing from this discussion, is information on the effectiveness of these programs.

The examples set forth in each case study both explicitly and implicitly offer several important lessons for those involved in examining the community college role in a state's teacher education efforts. First, the case studies reveal that there are many stakeholders, both internal and external to the community college, that must be considered in decision making. For example, elected officials may shape the program effort in a state, as seen by the inclusion of California Governor Gray Davis's statement in Chapter 3. Statewide commissions that are developed to examine the issues can include business, government, education, and community leaders, as seen in Arizona (Chapter 5). Decisions in Florida and Texas, described in Chapters 6 and 7 respectively, were directly influenced by the needs of the K-12 school districts. These are only some of the individuals and groups interested in the teacher education discussion.

A second lesson offered by the case studies is a virtual checklist of items to consider when examining the community college role in teacher education. Chapter 6 discusses the process that Florida underwent to develop a baccalaureate degree program in teacher education. The chapter reviews St. Petersburg College's considerations regarding program location, facilities, student services, delivery methods, funding, student financial aid, marketing for the program, curricular concerns, and regional accreditation for their baccalaureate program. Chapter 7 discusses the Alternative Teacher Certification (ATC) programs in Texas and offers a list of considerations, including market needs, competition, mentoring components, advisory committees, recruiting, and evaluation.