In what appears to be a textbook example of bad teacher policy in the making, look to Indiana, where the state legislature decided to create a new alternative certification route to alleviate a reported teacher shortage crisis. Buying into the tired adage that all teaching areas are shortage areas, they passed a law that required (but provided no additional funding) the state's teacher preparation programs to train teachers in any perceived shortage area.

The results? Already faced with a glut of elementary teachers, the program has just added more to the pile. Out of 363 participants last year, the route produced 166 elementary teachers, 46 in science, 32 in math and one in special education. One ed school dean was reportedly forced by the State Board of Education to create a whole program due to the demands of one single wannabe teacher.

Further, the state continues to display a distrust of alt cert, prohibiting these teachers from entering the classroom until they complete the program. Given the clear dictum from the US Department of Ed that teachers who are actively enrolled in alt cert programs meet the highly qualified teacher standard, this just sounds like some old-fashioned, status quo foot-dragging.