Chapter 8: Mathematics Teacher Education in the United States With a Focus on Innovations in Recruitment and Equitable Instructional Practices

Describing the structures, goals, visions, designs, and implementations of teacher education programs in the United States (U.S.) is a challenging task, as there is no uniform or common set of policies or legislation that determines how teacher education is provided or how teachers are certified. Thus, perhaps the most appropriate description of mathematics teacher education (MTE) in the U.S. is: “It varies.” Although a growing national conversation on teacher preparation is occurring, much of the decision making remains at the state or local level.

From the earliest days of the U.S., communities desiring a teacher were responsible for developing (or acquiring) their own teachers. As the nation grew, virtually every sizeable population center developed and maintained its own teacher preparation system (Fraser, 2007). This localized, historical control over schools and the preparation of teachers is a theme of education in the U.S. and helps provide a context for the decentralized and disparate influences that buffet teacher preparation. Unlike many nations of the world, individual state legislatures—and not the U.S. government—are the main policy makers and regulators of teacher preparation and education within each state. However, these lines have blurred as the federal government has extended its oversight during the last 30 years, something that has not been well-received by many state education agencies.