13: A Case Study of Alternative Pathways to Secondary Teacher Certification in Mathematics: How Should the Pathways Be Structured?

The ongoing teacher shortage over the past decade in California has prompted the State Board of Education to offer alternative options for individuals seeking a secondary teaching credential (Chin & Young, 2007). One option, the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (referred to as Exam Option) (2009), allows individuals to satisfy the subject matter portion of their credentials via a set of exams, rather than completing a formal major in the discipline. In mathematics, there are two pathways: (a) passing Subtest I (Algebra and Number Theory) and Subtest II (Geometry, Probability, and Statistics) yields a secondary credential in “Foundational Mathematics” (allowing teaching through second year algebra), or (b) passing Subtests I, II, and III (where subtest III includes Calculus and History of Math) yields a full secondary credential (allowing teaching of any mathematics course for grades 7-12).